UCSO
by Yazzi
Summary: Joey has vanished for ten years, now he returns but he's not the same. He can't tell them where he's been or why he now carries a gun. Pairings:YxT,TxS,DxM,JxOC,KxOC,MxR,Rx...uh...working on that. Please read and review. At least read...please...I beg.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do ****not**** own Yu-Gi-Oh, dratit, I don't even own Kitsune, although I do have permission to use her. All I own is Yazani and Yani, you'll meet them later.**

**Yazani:** _(sighs)_ Wow, it's been a long time since we've all been able to get together and just relax, huh?

**Tea: **Yeah, I've really missed being able to just hang out.

**Yugi: **Same.

**Seto:** How long has it been?

**Kitsune: **Let me think...hmm... I'd say it's been about five years.

**Joey:** Five years! Has it really been that long?

**Serenity:** It sure has been big brother.

**Tristan: **Yeah, last time we tried to get together, you two little love birds couldn't make it, remember? _(smirks at Kitsune and Joey)_

**Mia:** True, but the time before that it was you and Serenity who decided that you had to go on vacation. _(smirks at Tristan)_

**Yami:** _(sighs)_ Which brings up the question, is there any particular reason as to why you called us together by promises or threats? _(Yami can temporarily take a physical form, at times up to a week at a time)_

**Yani:** Just relax baby brother. _(puts her hand on Yami's arm)(she can do like Yami)_

**Duke:** Yeah, I've been wondering the same thing.

**Yazani:** I have a little surprise for you all. I have been keeping a journal since I was little...

**Mokuba:** _(teasingly)_ Your point.

**Rebecca:** Be nice.

**Yazani:** My point, _(glares at Mokuba)_ is that I have the best memory for what all happened to bring this crazy family together.

**Seto:** I resent that remark.

**Yazani:** I don't care, it's true. I wrote a book, and _(shakes with excitement)_ they're turning our story into a movie. _(smiles broadly)_

**Everyone else:** _(gape open mouthed)_

**Yazani: **Wait! There's more!

**Kitsune:** There's more!?

**Yazani: **Yeah! They've asked if we would be willing to star as ourselves in the movie!

**Duke:** You're kidding, right?

**Seto:** She has to be she can't keep a secret, especially something as big as this.

**Yazani:** I can too keep a secret you big jerk. _(shoves Seto lightly)_

**Businessman:** Erm... Excuse me but is one of you Yazani?

**Yazani:** Yeah, that's me. _(stands and extends her hand)_ This is my family, Yugi, Tea, Seto, Kitsune, Joey, Serenity, Tristan, Mia, Mokuba, and Rebecca. Oh, and that's His Royal Highness, Pharaoh Yami, and his sister Princess Yani.

**Yami and Yani:** Yazani, don't! _(blushes)_

**Businessman: **So... did you explain everything to them? _(Yazani nodded)_ Good, then if you don't mind I would like to get started. Here's the scripts, start practicing for scene one, we'll start filming in two weeks. _(finishes handing out scripts and leaves)_

**Seto:** What's he mean "start practicing" we never even agreed to anything?!

**Yazani:** But you do want to do it right? _(puppy dog stares Seto)_

**Seto:** Oh, uh, yeah!

**Yazani:** Any other complaints... _(silence)..._ Good, then let's get started.

**Sorry it was so short, I figured a bit of an explanation was in order. I hope you enjoy this story.**


	2. A Call in the Night

**Chapter 1: **A Call in the Night

_Ring, ring!_

"Who would be calling at this time of night?" mumbled a rather disgruntled Yugi as he sat up to answer the phone. "Hello?"

"Oh, Yugi! Did I wake you? I'm so sorry, but, you won't believe this!" came a high pitched voice on the other end of the line.

"Serenity? Do realize what time it is?" asked Yugi, who was looking at the alarm clock by his bed which read 6:00 am.

"Yes and I'm so sorry I woke you but, oh, you won't believe this!"

"Won't believe what?"

"He's back Yugi!"

"Who's back?"

"Joey, who else! He's here, at my house, he hasn't changed a bit, but, oh Yugi, I don't want to let him in I mean what if..."

"Wait! Did you just say Joey is back!?"

"Yes!"

"Stay right there, Tea and I will be over in a few minutes, are you alone?"

"Yes, but..."

"Where's Tristan?"

"He left for work a few minutes before Joey showed up."

"Okay, don't let Joey in; just wait for me and Tea, okay?"

"Okay."

"Alright bye."

"Bye."

"Tea, wake up," Yugi said to Tea as he climbed out of bed and started to get dressed, not worrying about turning on a light.

"Why, what's going on?" asked Tea sleepily and she sat up.

"It's Joey, he's back." Yugi was pulling on pants haphazardly.

"Joey? Joey who," Tea was climbing out of bed now.

"Joey Wheeler."

"Wait, you mean our Joey!" Tea was fully awake now.

"Yeah, that was Serenity on the phone, she said Joey is outside her house and she doesn't want to let him in because, well..." Yugi trailed off.

"Let's go!" said Tea who was already dressed.

Within a matter of minutes Tea and Yugi were parking in front of Serenity's house. From where they were on the street they could see a shadowy figure pacing the porch.

"You wait here Tea; I'll go up to see if it really is..." Yugi trailed off again.

"Okay, be careful."

Yugi got out of the car and started to walk up the steps leading to the front door. Not once did he take his eyes off of the shadowy figure who still hadn't noticed that Yugi was there. He was mumbling to himself and as Yugi got closer he realized that he was actually reading something off a piece of paper, like a speech he had written before and now he was about to present it.

"Joey?" Yugi called softly at the top of the stairs.

Joey spun around to face Yugi, one hand held the piece of paper, which Yugi now saw to be a letter to Serenity, his other hand was in his coat pocket clutching something, but Yugi wasn't sure what.

"Yugi?" Croaked the shadow.

"Come into the light, Joey," urged Yugi who still couldn't see the face of this strange man.

"Yugi, I..." he paused, not sure of what to say, then he stepped forward, into the light.

Yugi gasped, audibly, it really was Joey, and it was as Serenity had said, he hadn't changed. His hair was still messy, made messier by the breeze, and he looked like he was wearing the same clothes as the day he had left, ten years earlier.

"Yugi, I ..." Joey started again, then he got a strange look on his face, "How did you know I was here?"

"Serenity called me, she was a little freaked by your being here," then he turned back to his car and signaled for Tea to get out and come up.

"Who are you signaling to?" asked Joey taking a step back.

"Tea, why?" Yugi asked, he was confused by how suspicious Joey was acting.

"Tea?" Joey got another strange look on his face like he was remembering an old dream.

"Joey?" Tea was standing beside Yugi now.

"Tea, I..." Joey started to explain again.

"Joey!" came a cry from the house as the door was flung open, "Joey, I... Where have you been!?" Serenity came into sight looking both relieved and angry, mostly angry.

Joey, Yugi, and Tea all flinched at the sound of the fury in Serenity's voice.

"Well!?"

"I... I can't really explain. I just..." Joey started.

"What do you mean you can't explain!? You disappear for no apparent reason and then reappear ten years later and you can't tell us exactly where you've been and what the heck you've been doing?!"

"I've been... traveling." replied Joey evasively, but he couldn't quite meet anyone's eye.

"Why? Where? Who for?" said Serenity angrily glaring at her big brother.

"I can't tell you. Can't you just trust me, it's for your own safety!" Joey blurted out before he could stop himself.

"What do you mean?" asked Serenity shocked.

"I can't explain, believe me I want to but it's not safe yet, I'm not even supposed to be here, much less talking to you." Joey said, he looked like he was about to turn tail and run. " If they find out..."

"Who?" asked Yugi much more gently than Serenity would have.

"I can't tell you. I have to..." Joey turned around and was about to charge off into the dull morning light.

"Joey don't go!" said Tea very suddenly, but that wasn't what stopped him. Instead it was a very firm and surprisingly strong grip on his arm. It was Yugi.

"Joey, you can't... don't... don't you dare..." Yugi started breathlessly, and as Joey looked back into Yugi's eyes, Joey could see the fear Yugi had kept hidden for ten years, the fear that Joey...

"I can't stay, I..." Joey didn't know what to say, he felt he had to, but couldn't stay.

"You can stay with me and Tea," Yugi said quickly, "Just, please, don't go."

"I..."

"Please?" Tea interrupted.

Joey looked at Tea who looked a little surprised that she wanted Joey to stay, at Serenity who, even though she was angry at Joey, she didn't want him to disappear for another ten years, and lastly at Yugi who looked so desperate, so helpless, that it broke Joey's heart.

"Okay, but I can't stay for too long."

Yugi let go of Joey's arm relieved. Yugi turned to face Tea who shrugged, and then to Serenity.

"I have to get ready to go to work," Serenity said quietly, "Otherwise, I would invite you in for coffee." She shrugged.

"That's okay," Tea said, she turned and started down the steps to the street.

"We'll talk later," Yugi said as he too turned back to the street, then he paused, "Coming Joey?"

"Yeah," Joey turned to his little sister, "I know this won't mean much to you now, after ten years, but, I truly am sorry I left."

"Like Yugi said, we'll talk later," Serenity turned and went back inside slamming the door behind her.

"Joey, let's go," Yugi's hand was on Joey's arm again, only this time it wasn't a restraining grip, but rather one of comfort, forgiveness, and understanding. So with one final look back at the shut door Joey turned and followed Yugi down to the street and after climbing into the back seat of the little car he let out a sigh that wasn't just a sigh, but was filled with all that had happened to him in the past ten years.

**Serenity:** _(shocked) _How did you know about that phone call?

**Joey:** Yeah, how did you know all that?

**Yazani:** _(sweatdropped)_ Uh, I kind of can get into your mind, you know, access your memories.

**All:** What?!

**Yazani:** Would you rather say I had read you diaries?

**Tea:** Did you?

**Yazani:** No!!

**Kitsune:** _(glares at Yazani)_

**Yazani:** Maybe. Alright yes, I stole and read your diaries!! Oops. _(sweatdropped)_

**Kitsune: **I'm gonna KILL YOU!!

**Yazani:** _(yelps and runs away from Kitsune)_

**Yani: **_(sweatdropped) _Don't hurt her; if you do I won't exist! _(jumps up and starts to chase after Kitsune)_

**Joey: **Hey, don't take it out on Kitsune. _(chases after Yani)_

**Yami:** Hey, that's my sister you're chasing. _(chases after Joey)_

**Serenity:** And that's my brother. _(chases after Yami)_

**Yugi: **And that's my yami. _(Chases after Serenity)__Y__amiPharaoh, __y__amidark_

**Tristan:** And that's my... oh never mind. _(chases after Yugi)_

**Tea: **Tristan, ugh. _(chases after Tristan)_

**Mokuba, Rebecca, Mia, Duke:** _(sweatdropped)_

**Seto:** _(laughs as he watches the line chasing after Yazani)_ Please Read and Review. _(still laughing)_ Ahh, what the heck. _(jumps up and starts chasing Tea)_

**Mokuba: **Big brother? _(chases Seto)_

**Rebecca: **Moky?_(chases Moky)_

**Mia, Duke:** _(shrugs and joins the chase)_


	3. Same group, New Member

**Chapter 2: **Same Group, New Member.

Later, back at the Game Shop, Tea started to make some pancakes for breakfast as Yugi checked his e-mail.

"You can go wash up in the bathroom Joey," Yugi said looking up at his once best friend.

"Okay, thanks Yug." Yugi flinched at this, "What?"

"No one's called me that in a long time, that's all."

"Oh, sorry," Joey turned and went down the hall to the bathroom, 'Not much seems to have changed, everything, so far, has turned out the way we always knew that it would, even without me they can follow their dreams. I don't see what Boss Girl was so worried about.' Joey looked up into the mirror; with all of the dirt washed away he looked just like the old Joey except for his eyes, his eyes showed just how much he had changed. His eyes showed the lack of innocence, showed that he had seen great horrors and lost much.

"Joey, come eat," Tea's voice came through the door.

"'Kay," Joey opened the door and came face to face with Tea, she looked like she was debating weather or not she should say something, "What do you want to tell me?" Joey had been told to expect this.

"It's just, well, Yugi only got over your leaving earlier this year, and, I don't want him to revert to the nightmares just because you came back. It's not that I'm not glad to know that you're okay, but..." she trailed off.

"I understand," Joey lowered his eyes, "I just wanted to be sure everyone was okay, that everything had gone as planned, and to see everyone one last time."

"What do you-"

"Come on," Joey walked past Tea and back toward the kitchen where Yugi was waiting.

"These are delicious," Joey commented between mouthfuls.

"Glad to see your appetite hasn't changed," joked Yugi. Joey smiled, which was rare for him these days, it just didn't feel natural.

"Well, I have to get to work," Tea said as she stood.

"Where do you work?" asked Joey curious.

"I own my own dance studio."

"That's great!" Joey was glad that Tea had successfully followed her dream of dancing.

"Yeah, well, if I don't hurry, I'll be late and I always tell my class not to be late, so..."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you after work, are you going to come home for lunch today?" asked Yugi as Tea grabbed her coat and headed for the front door.

"No, I've got some people coming in so I'll just grab a sandwich or something," Tea paused to give Yugi a kiss good-buy before leaving, "Have a good day at work, Yugi, love you."

"I will, love you too," and with that Tea left.

"So, what all happened while I was, um, away?" Joey asked hoping to learn what he could expect.

"Well, a lot, I don't know where to start," Yugi began.

"How about with when you and Tea got married?"

"That was just after she came back from America. She got accepted to one of the greatest dance academies just after graduation, she got the letter the day after you left. She went away to study, but she couldn't really concentrate. She finished and got her degree. Just after that she was doing a show on Broadway when there was an accident. She literally broke her leg, they never figured out what happened. She came back and we dated for about a month, but I didn't want her to leave again, so..."

"I see, what about the rest of the gang, what happened to them?"

"Tristan and Serenity are married, she held off the ceremony for nearly a year hoping you would come back. Tristan is a drag racer, and Serenity is a scientist, does a lot of R&D, Research and Development," Yugi added at the confused look on Joey's face.

"I know about R&D, Tristan and Serenity, I was just a little surprised," Joey knew that had been coming but he wished he hadn't missed it. "Go on."

"Well, Ryo and Bakura, Bakura being the spirit of the ring, are off on an archeology trip in Egypt, they'll be back tomorrow morning."

When Yugi stopped Joey asked, "What about Mia?"

Yugi looked away, "Mia married Duke just last year, they're very happy, but Mia still worries about you."

"Oh," Joey wasn't exactly hurt by this news, but still... "Well, I guess, as long as she's happy..."

"Yeah." There was an uncomfortable silence before Yugi jumped up looking at the clock, "Oh no!"

"What?!"

"I've got someone coming over in just a few minutes, stuff about the card shop," Yugi mumbled as he rushed to clear up the dishes.

"Here, let me take care of them, you worry about your meeting," Joey quickly stood and started to wash the dishes.

"We really need to get a dish washer, thanks," muttered Yugi as he ran upstairs to wash up. The doorbell rang just then, "Come on in," called Yugi down the stairs, "I'll be down in just a minute!"

"Okay," came a very familiar voice.

'No, it can't be,' thought Joey as he turned toward the hall, 'It can't be...Kiaba.'

Kiaba froze in the doorway, he looked both shocked and angry, "You," he growled, "What are yo-"

"Hi Seto," came Yugi's voice right behind Seto who whirled around to face Yugi, who coincidentally was nearly as tall as him.

"I feel it safe to assume that this is why Serenity was upset at work today," Seto said as Yugi walked past him to sit at the table.

"Yes," Yugi sat down and indicated the empty chair next to him for Seto, who didn't move.

"My sister works for you?" questioned Joey as he turned back to the dishes.

"Yeah," Seto said harshly, which didn't faze Joey at all but Yugi looked upset.

"Seto, please," Yugi looked up with tired eyes, "Please let's just talk." At this Seto sat down not taking his eyes off of Joey, who had his back turned.

"Look," said Yugi, exhaustion showing in his voice, "Joey is staying with me and Tea for a while."

"Is that really safe?"

"Seto."

"Sorry, I just, don't think you need to worry about the mutt," he spat out the last word as if it were poison. "I mean after all it was him who left, not you."

"Seto, you don't understand-"

"You're right, I don't, and I don't want to."

"Then quit worrying about it." Yugi said angrily which startled both Seto and Joey.

"Okay," said Seto quietly, "Let's just talk."

"Okay, so how are the VR Visors coming along?"

"Great, I should have the first two proto types ready for us to test by tomorrow."

"That's great, Yami can't wait."

"Speaking of the Pharaoh, where is he?" asked Seto looking toward the stairs.

"He's sleeping, trying to gather enough energy so that he can go it alone."

"I see and when's Ryo and Bakura getting back?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'm gonna go pick him up. So how are Mokuba and Rebecca doing?"

"Oh they're as happy as can be, it's really rather disgusting." Seto laughed.

Yugi laughed too, "I'm sure it is, but how are you doing?"

"Oh, you know, everything's normal."

"Seto," Yugi looked more than a little concerned now, "When was the last time you had more than a few minutes nap at a time?"

"Oh, I don't know, not that long."

"Seto."

"About a month," Seto muttered, 'Yugi's too darn perceptive for his own good.'

Yugi let out a slow sigh, "Actually Seto, you're just a really bad actor." Seto smiled, but Yugi didn't.

"Really, I think you need to see a doctor or something."

"Yeah or something."

"I mean it."

"I know," Seto sighed, then he changed the subject, "Are you and Tea still coming to dinner next Friday?"

"We plan to, but..." Yugi trailed off looking questionably at Joey who turned around.

"I'll be gone by then I'm sure." Joey said.

"I sure hope so mutt," growled Seto.

"Ya know Kiaba, the mutt thing really doesn't bother me any more, I've been called much worse names by much worse people." Seto looked at Joey surprised.

"What do you mean?" asked Seto and Yugi together, but Joey didn't answer, he just turned around so he could put the last few dishes back in the cupboard.

"Joey, please, tell me-"

"I already said I can't tell you, it would just put you in danger and I can't let that happen." Joey said guardedly

"You better start explaining yourself now mutt," said Seto threateningly as he stood up, "Or I'll-"

"Or you'll what Kiaba? Finish your sentence? I wasn't afraid of you then I sure as heck ain't scared of ya now." Joey turned to face Seto, he didn't look angry which was a major surprise to Seto, instead he looked tired, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Yugi stood too and grabbed Seto's arm to stop him from hurting Joey as he was sure to do at any second.

"Ya know what," said Seto slowly, "I need to get to work, I'll talk to you later Yugi."

"Later Seto," Yugi replied and he let go of Seto's arm.

"And you," Seto growled menacingly at Joey, "Watch out, or I'll get you."

"Sure ya will Kiaba." So with one last nod to Yugi, Seto left.

Yugi sighed and sat down again, rubbing his temples, "Joey," he started.

"Yugi, please."

"But-"

"So what are VR Visors?" Joey sat down too.

"Virtual Reality Visors, Seto has been working on them for a few months. So far we haven't been too successful, but he's sure he's got it right this time."

"Also, since when did Kiaba believe in the Pharaoh?"

"Since we found a way for him to take a physical form. He can only do it for a while at a time though. At most we can stay separate for a week, but it takes a lot of energy to make the change so we don't do it for too long."

"Wow," was all Joey could say.

"Well, are you going to ask or not?"

"Ask what?"

"When Seto and I became friends?"

"Well, I just assumed you'd tell me when you wanted to."

"It was after I figured out that you weren't coming back. I went to Seto to see if he could help me find you. He asked why he should care what happened to you so I told him what's been obvious to us since Duelist Kingdom. I told him you were my friend and Seto was my friend too. He seemed shocked about that but he agreed to help. Unfortunately you were long gone by then."

"Look, Yug, I'm sorry I worried you, but I got this job and I had to leave immediately. I wrote to you all explaining what had happened and why I couldn't call or write, but my boss said if I sent it you would just end up in danger so I kept it. I wrote you all letters at least once a week but usually I was unable to send it and they wouldn't have been approved anyway. If I could tell you every detail of what's been happening to me since I left, without putting you in danger, I would, but I can't tell you and fell good about it. Do you understand?" Joey looked into Yugi's eyes pleading with him not to ask anything more, that he had already said more than he should have.

"Okay," said Yugi with a sigh, "I won't ask anything more and I'll be sure no one else does either."

"Thanks," Joey looked so relieved Yugi wanted to cry.

"But can I at least ask why you came back now?"

"I guess, I came back because I wanted to see you all again."

"Would your boss approve?"

"Actually, if they caught me here I would be a lot of trouble." Joey grinned sheepishly. Yugi grinned back.

Just then the door banged open and both Yugi and Joey shot up and ran into the front of the shop. In the doorway stood Tristan, he looked like the devil incarnate.

"JOEY!!" He roared, Yugi flinched, but Joey didn't back down, "What the hell are you doing back?!" Tristan took a step forward.

Joey just lowered his head, "I wanted to apologize for leaving."

"You w...what?" Tristan faltered, he had never seen Joey humble like this before. It scared him.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry, for everything," Joey still didn't look up; he couldn't look into those eyes so full of hatred.

Tristan turned to Yugi, "Are you sure this is Joey, Joey never had patience?"

"Of course it's me you idiot!" said Joey very suddenly looking Tristan full in the face, "Who else could it possibly be, just because I've changed!"

"Tristan does have a point Joey. The Joey I know would never have let Seto get away with calling you mutt, even after all these years."

"You have got to be kidding! I've seen and heard worse than some egotistical maniac trying to bait me by calling me a mutt!!" Joey's hands clenched, his whole body tensed ready for a fight.

"Calm down Joey, I was kidding," said Yugi, he then looked at Tristan who was still a little angry, but was more relieved to have heard Joey shout.

Joey caught the look and relaxed, "Jerk."

"Butt." Joey looked at Tristan and Tristan looked at Joey, and both started to laugh, well Joey didn't really laugh, he just pretended to. Then Tristan became serious, "You heard about me and Serenity, right?"

"Yeah, Yugi told me. I'm really sorry I missed it. If I could do this all again, I would tell you all everything before I left."

"Do I want to know where you've been?"

"Yeah, but I can't say, not really anyway."

"How long?"

"I have to leave by the end of the week."

"You can't!!" Tristan and Yugi both shouted.

"But I have to. I promise that I will come back to stay as soon as it's safe. Until then though, this trip will have to be good enough."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart, and hope to live."

"Huh?"

"Nothing," Joey looked away from his friends and instead looked down at his hands.

"Tristan, don't you have to get back to the track?" Yugi asked.

"Yeah, I guess I've got to be going," Tristan stepped forward and gave Joey the last thing on Earth he had expected, a hug. "Just in case." Tristan muttered in Joey's ear. Then he turned around and left without a backwards glance.

"What was that all about?" asked Yami in Yugi's ear.

"Oh, didn't you notice, Joey's back," replied Yugi.

"What!?" With that Yami materialized right beside Yugi.

"What the?!" exclaimed Joey as he jumped back from the newly materialized Yami.

"What are you doing back?!" screamed Yami.

"Saying sorry," said Joey who was partly glad to see the Pharaoh, but partly scared.

"I should crush your mind right now, you know that!?" Yami was as angry as Joey had ever seen him. "I could too!"

"I know that, but I also know that you won't." Yugi thought that Joey was acting a little big headed.

"I...you...would...know..." Yami stuttered then took a deep breath and stepped forward. He stood right in front of Joey; then he punched Joey. Joey went to the floor. "I owed you that."

"Okay, are you happy?" asked Joey as he sat up rubbing his soon-to-be-swollen jaw.

"Yeah, I guess," Yami said quietly. Yami turned back to Yugi who looked more than a little confused by the way Joey and Yami had acted.

"Okay, maybe you should let go now Yami, otherwise you won't have enough energy to try out the VR Visors tomorrow."

"Fine, we'll talk later Yugi." and with that Yami vanished.

Joey sighed and stood up. "Pharaoh's got a mean right jab."

"Sorry about that Joey," said Yugi as he came over and took a good look at what his dark had done. "You're right; he really got ya good huh?"

"Yeah, although I have to admit I expected more than just one."

"So, will you help me in the shop today?" Yugi didn't want to give Joey a chance to disappear without a good-buy again.

"Sure, I'll help." Joey really wanted to help but all of a sudden as Yugi went to the door and turned the open sign, Joey realized what was missing. "Yugi, where's Gramps?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you yet did I, he's in the hospital." Yugi shrugged, he didn't want Joey to worry.

"What? Why?" Joey was amazed that he hadn't noticed before.

"Oh, don't worry, it's just a routine check up, he'll be out later today, although maybe we should go to see him before he leaves, I mean, you might give him a heart attack, and that had better happen in the hospital, not out." Yugi turned the sign back to 'Closed' and turned to grab a coat, "Okay Joey, let's go see Grandpa."

"Hi, Mr. Mouto. Your grandfather isn't done with his tests yet, but you can go see him, he's in room 214 right now," said the receptionist kindly.

"Thanks," Yugi turned toward the elevators with Joey following right behind. "Maybe you should wait out here for a second."

"Sure Yug."

"Hi Grandpa," said Yugi as he stepped into the hospital room, leaving Joey to peek in the crack in the door.

"Hello, Yugi, why are you here? What's wrong?" Gramps voice came through the door to Joey, he sounded tired but otherwise the same as Joey remembered.

"Who said anything was wrong?" Yugi was surprised.

"Why else would you come early?" Grandpa wondered what was so important that it couldn't wait.

"Well, I do have a bit of a surprise for you. Um, how do I explain?" Yugi looked at his feet something he had started doing when Joey first left. "Come in Joey."

"Joey?!"

Joey stepped into the little white room shutting the door behind him. When he turned to look at Gramps, he was sitting up in the bed looking as if he had seen a ghost.

"Hi, Gramps," Joey looked down at his feet too for a second.

"Joey," Gramps whispered, then he held out his arms and pulled Joey into a very tight hug. "I always knew you'd find your way back to us." Gramps was crying softly. "When did you get back?"

"Early this morning," Joey answered pulling away from the hug.

"I'm so glad," Gramps wiped the tears away, "Don't ever scare me like that again. You about gave me a heart attack just now."

"That's why we didn't wait till you came home. Heart attacks are better in the hospital," said Yugi jokingly.

"Yeah," Joey didn't know what to say. He was so glad to see the old geezer, and it broke his heart to see him cry. Joey blinked and a tear ran down his face, a tear he kept trying to tell himself wasn't there.

"I'm so sorry that I scared you, I'm sorry that I left, I'm sorry for everything," said Joey softly.

"I know, Joey, I know," Gramps said, "I'm not going to ask why you left, because being one of my two best pupils, I know you wouldn't have left if you hadn't needed to."

"More like one of your only two pupils," Joey joked.

Gramps laughed, so did Yugi, and, for the first time in years, Joey actually laughed, a real laugh. The laugh sounded strange to Joey, but in a way it sounded right. Then the doctors came in.

"I'm sorry Mr. Mouto, you and you friend are going to have to leave so we can finish you grandfather's tests," said a big burly doctor with black hair and light skin and eyes.

"Alright, we'll see you at home later tonight, Grandpa," Yugi turned to leave, "its okay if Joey stays with us for a while isn't it?"

"Of course, we don't want him slipping off again, do we, Joey." Joey shook his head.

"See ya later Gramps." And with that Yugi and Joey left.

**Joey:** I didn't know you knew that much about us.

**Tristan:** How'd you know about that hug? _(horrified)_

**Yazani:** I know you people. Better than you know yourselves in some cases. _(glances in Joey, Kitsune, and Seto's direction)_

**Yugi:** I miss Grandpa. _(looks down at the floor)_

**Everyone else at once:** I miss him too.

**Yugi:** _(glances up and giggles)_

**Tea:** _(hugs Yugi tightly)_ Don't worry, he's happy.

**Yugi:** Yeah. _(looks at Yazani)_ Well, go on, read us the rest of your... uh, our... story.

**Yazani:** _(shakes her head)_ I can't read any more right now.

**Mia:** What!? Why not?!

**Yazani:** Do you realize what time it is?! It's time for Smallville.

**Everyone except Seto:** Smallville!?

**Yazani:** Yeah, then it's time for bed.

**Seto:** _(through gritted teeth) _She's got a crush on the guy who plays Clark Kent. Says he's cute.

**Everyone:** _(snorts with laughter)_

**Seto:** _(glares)_

**Everyone: **_(sweatdropped)_

**Yazani:** _(gives Seto a slap on the back of the head before turning on the TV)_


	4. Old Loves, New Life

**Chapter 3:** Old Loves, New Life

Joey helped Yugi in the game shop all day. From the moment the front door opened till the last straggler was pushed out, the game shop was packed to the bursting point. Tea picked Gramps up after his tests which ended about the same time as her last dance class. At first neither spoke, then Gramps broke the silence.

"Yugi to came see me earlier today, he brought Joey," Gramps wondered if Tea knew anything about why Joey had left.

"Oh, that's good...I guess," Tea replied, she wasn't too keen to talk about Joey.

"Do you know... anything... about why he left... or why he came back?" Gramps asked quietly.

"No, he said he couldn't tell us, which could mean any number of things; especially because it's Joey we're talking about."

"Yes, do you know how long he's staying, I forgot to ask?"

"No I never thought about it."

"Are you mad at him?"

"Yes... and no... I don't know! I'm glad he's okay, but I'm mad that he won't tell us where he's been. I'm angry about what he put Yugi through... what he put us all through... I'm sad that the feels he can't trust us enough to tell us what's going on. I'm... I'm... I'm just so... so...confused. I don't know what to do, or say. I wish it could just be like before he left, but it's not and it never can be. What should I do? I'd ask Yugi, but..." Tea trailed off, but that was okay, Gramps didn't need her to finish her sentence, he knew exactly what Tea meant.

"I know. I'm glad to know that he's still alive too. However, I don't think that he doesn't trust us. I think that he doesn't trust himself, or else he really can't say. Don't be angry with him, he came back, personally I think that is enough."

"You're right." Just then they pulled into the shop. Yugi came running out to help followed by Joey. Joey looked more like his old self. He felt like it too, after helping in the game shop, listening to all the young duelists he felt his cares and worries melting away.

At dinner that night there wasn't very much talk till Tea got up and pulled some ice cream out for dessert. Then the phone rang. Tea answered it.

"Hello?...Oh, hi!... Yugi and I are just fine. Gramps had some more tests today, but everything checked out okay... Yeah... How are you two doing?... So, when do you get back?... Tomorrow!... Sure we can pick you up; Yugi's going to pick up Ryo and Bakura tomorrow anyway... When does your flight get in?... Okay... Yugi'll meet you there tomorrow... Alright... Buy." Tea hung up the phone and sat down again.

"Duke?" asked Gramps, he didn't want to let Joey know that Mia was married.

"Yeah, they need you to pick them up tomorrow. They're coming in on the same flight as Ryo and Bakura," Tea replied, she didn't realize that Joey knew but also didn't think about it.

"So where have Mia and Duke been?" asked Joey suddenly. Gramps and Tea gaped at Joey.

"I told him," Yugi said in a small voice, he was staring down at his feet again.

"They've been in America seeing if they can get Dungeon Dice Monsters to be as big a hit there as it is here now." Tea answered Joey's question.

"Oh," Joey could see the apprehension in their faces. "It's okay." Joey said in hopes that by saying something they would quit looking at him as if...

"Do you still have your deck?" Yugi interrupted. Joey nodded, "Good, let's duel, for old time's sake."

"Okay, but I warn you, I haven't dueled much since I left," said Joey jokingly.

"That's fine, neither have I," Yugi said, "At least not for real." Yugi cleared away the dishes so that they could play. When the table was clear, Yugi sat down opposite Joey. Joey pulled his deck out of his inside coat pocket; he always kept his deck close to his heart these days. Yugi pulled his deck out of the special pouch on his second belt; to be honest it was his security blanket.

The duel put their skills to the test. Joey put up a really good fight and almost won, but Yugi pulled one last card, the card he needed and the game ended with Joey-0 LP and Yugi-50 LP.

"That was great!" Yugi said enthusiastically.

"In all my life I have never seen a duel as intense as that one," Gramps said, he was proud of both his former students.

"I haven't enjoyed a duel like that since graduation!" said Joey, he was smiling, a real smile, like the one he wore the day he graduated.

"I'm so glad you three boys enjoyed yourselves," said Tea sarcastically, "But, it's nearly midnight and we have to get up early tomorrow." Tea got up then and started toward the stairs. "Joey, you can sleep on the couch, I'll bring down some blankets in a minute."

After Tea was out of earshot Yugi asked the question Tea wouldn't, "Joey, do you want to go with me to pick up Mia?" Yugi didn't know what to expect.

"Maybe I shouldn't-"

"You should," Gramps interrupted, "I think it would be kinder for her if you went with Yugi. Better that then to have her worry all the way here."

Tea got back just then. "I've set up a bit of a bed in the living room for you Joey, goodnight," she turned to go back up stairs but stopped in the doorway, "I think you should go with Yugi, Gramps is right, better break it to her quickly."

"If you think she won't kill me," Joey teased, "I'll go."

"Now that that's decided," said Gramps standing up, "Let's all get to bed, we have a big day tomorrow." Yugi and Joey stood too. Tea had vanished before Joey could say goodnight.

"Goodnight, Joseph," Gramps said before he started up the stairs.

"'Night Gramps," Joey replied. "'Night Yug."

"Joey, you have to promise me that you won't run away in the night," Yugi said quietly, "If you try to run off again, I will personally track you down and drag you back here, is that clear?"

"I promise Yug. I won't leave till Friday. But I can't stay any longer than that, not this time." What else could he say, Joey turned and went into the living room and lay down.

"Good night Grandpa," Yugi said at the head of the stairs, Yugi gave his Grandfather a hug and turned to his and Tea's room.

"Good night Yugi," Gramps said quietly, "Sweet dreams," Gramps added.

"Teà?" Yugi turned to his wife.

"Yes?"

"Are you upset... with Joey?"

"A little, no more than can be expected."

"He got a job and had to leave, his job kept him moving. His boss wouldn't let him write or call us, much less see us."

"How do you know that?"

"Joey told me."

"And you believe him?"

"What reason would I have not too?"

Tea didn't answer, and Yugi didn't persist. They climbed into bed.

"Sweet dreams, my love." Tea whispered softly as she stroked Yugi's hair and cuddled up close to him. She got no response and looking down into his face saw that he was already asleep. Kissing his forehead Tea too fell into a deep sleep.

'So much is the same and yet, so much is different. Boss girl was right, I shouldn't have come back. Oh-well. Tomorrow I see Mia. I hope she isn't hurt. I hope she's happy. I hope she can understand, everything.' With that final thought Joey fell into and uneasy and very useless sleep.

8

Joey was shaken lightly awake the next morning, the first thing Joey saw was Yugi. He looked startled. Then Joey realized he was upright with one hand holding the... the... thing... in his pocket. He probably looked like a murderer.

"Sorry," Joey muttered relaxing his grip on the...

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, "You'd think I was trying to choke you the way you reacted."

"I'm sorry; I didn't sleep well, nightmares." Joey straightened the cushions on the couch. Yugi put a hand on his should. Joey looked at Yugi and felt the familiar pain again, that he was pushing away one of the few people that still believed in him, the thought of another lie. 'Not that it was all a lie.' Joey thought, 'I have been having nightmares a lot lately.'

"You ready to go?" Yugi asked when Joey looked away. Joey nodded lightly. "Let's go, we'll grab some breakfast on the way to Tokyo International."

Yugi led the way to the car in the driveway, then decided that they would need the van. 'After all,' Yugi thought to himself, 'We will have five people and enough luggage for four on the way back.' Joey got into the passengers seat and fastened his seat belt as Yugi started the vehicle.

"Don't forget your seat belt," said Joey quickly as it looked as though Yugi wasn't going to put it on.

"Huh, what? Oh, yeah," Yugi buckled up, "Got distracted. Thanks."

"Mia's gonna kill me, huh?"

"I don't think so, unless you think a hug can kill."

"What do you mean?"

"She's been really worried about you."

"Hmm." The conversation ended then as both passenger and driver sank back into their own thoughts. When they finally reached the airport, it was 10:00am and they were a little behind schedule. The plane that Mia, Duke, Ryo, and Bakura came in on had landed just a few minutes before so Yugi didn't have time to park, he pulled into the pick up/drop off lane and jumped out.

"Joey," Yugi said as Joey too got out, "Could you wait here, watch the car?"

"Sure. No problem," Yugi didn't even wait for an answer but rather charged off into the crowd to see if he could find the others.

'They're probably at Baggage Claim,' Yugi thought as he ran toward the crowd gathered around the luggage carousal. Standing on tip toe, Yugi could clearly see over the heads of those in the crowd and caught the flash of white hair, focusing on that area, Yugi saw a blond woman and a raven haired man. 'Yes, I found them!'

"Mia! Duke! 'Kura!" Yugi yelled waving as he made his way over to the three some, 'How am I going to tell them about Joey?' "There you are!" Yugi had made his way to them, "Sorry I'm late." He grinned sheepishly as Mia gave him a light hug.

"We missed ya, hon," came the sugary voice of Mia Valentine.

"We've been waiting forever," teased Duke as he put his arm over Yugi's shoulder and lightly punched his arm.

"Shut up and grab your suitcase," said Bakura rudely. Then he turned around and grabbed his own bag.

"He didn't sleep on the way here did he?" asked Yugi quietly, 'This is not good, Joey being back was bound to make him angry even if he wasn't already irritable. I have no idea what he'll do.'

"Course I didn't," said the tomb raider, who had heard Yugi even though Yugi had tried not to be heard.

"Ya know what, let me talk to Ryo 'kay?" Yugi thought that Joey might stand a chance at living if Ryo was in control.

"What's up?" asked Ryo. "Something's wrong."

"No there isn't anything wrong," Yugi said shaking his head. 'What am I saying!? Of course there's something wrong!!'

"Yugi!" Ryo said exasperated, "I know you, what is it?"

"..."

"Well?" Mia interrupted.

"There is one thing. I don't know where to start," Yugi was staring at his shoes again. This more than anything told them something was really wrong.

"Yugi."

"Come on." Yugi said turning back to the front doors and Joey.

"We're not leaving this spot until you tell us what's going on."

"I'll explain on the way to the van."

The others sighed and grabbed their bags. Yugi took Ryo's, and they started to the front. "I got a phone call early yesterday morning. It was from Serenity. Tea and I went over to see her, she was pretty shaken up, Tristan had already left for the track. When we got there, we found..."

"Go on," said Mia quietly. All eyes were on Yugi, Yugi was watching the floor as they stepped out the front doors, Yugi took two more steps, and then stopped.

"I'm sorry Mia," Yugi whispered.

"What?" Mia was thoroughly confused.

"It's Joey, he's back."

Joey stood there leaning against the van watching the door Yugi had gone in. 'Wow, I'm nervous.' Joey thought as he felt the ham and egg sandwich flip over in his stomach. 'I hope none of them punch my stomach, I'm likely to lose my breakfast.' Then Joey saw what he had been waiting for. He saw Yugi come through the double doors followed by three familiar faces. A few steps away they stopped, then came the explosion. 'Yugi must have told them I'm here, maybe I should...' Joey turned to see if the next entrance was close enough to run to and disappear forever, but then he remembered his promise to Yugi and froze.

Joey was still staring down the road to the next doors when Mia came running up to him and jerked his face towards hers, startling Joey. He froze as she studied his face and the other three came up behind, a little more slowly.

"It's really you," whispered Mia softly, so softly that only Joey heard her, he nodded. Mia stepped back and brought up her other hand and slapped him, hard across the face. Joey went to the floor for the second time in twenty-four hours. When he got up Mia had moved aside and instead it was Duke in front of him. He was glaring at Joey. Joey placed his hands behind his back and shrugged. Duke got him in the jaw, the same already bruised spot the Pharaoh had hit. Joey went down yet again. When he stood this time he was facing Bakura, who had taken control again.

"I could crush your mind right now, you know that," said the tomb robber in his quiet threatening voice.

Joey turned his head slightly and snorted, "You sound just like the Pharaoh, you know that?" The next thing he knew Joey was on the ground again clutching at a bloody nose. Ryo had hit the side of his head and Joey had been thrown to the floor. Joey had, as usual, landed on his face. Rather than standing up immediately, he kneeled there for a second, until the bleeding started to stop. Then he stood to face Ryo who had some how taken control again. Joey was ready. Ryo just stood there.

"You jerk. I was worried about you, we all were and you knew that we would be, so you left. You left us all to worry. You never said anything, you just vanished. Why? Why? That's all I can ask. For years I wondered if I could have stopped you, if I could have done something. But would it have helped, would it have mattered? NO. You are such a butt." Ryo's voice was quiet too, but it carried no trace of a threat. This hurt more than if he had been hit again. It hurt as much as leaving them all behind had. What could he say?

When Joey didn't say anything Ryo asked, "So, where have you been?"

Joey still didn't answer. For a whole minute there was silence as Mia, Duke, Ryo, and Bakura waited to hear where Joey had been and Yugi held his breath wondering how Joey would answer.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Joey said at last.

"Why?" asked Mia softly.

"Be... Because... It... It hurts too much," Joey finished lamely. He knew it was the wrong thing to say, but there was no way to take it back now.

Silence greeted this revelation. Yugi broke it, he hated silence. "Let's go."

There was little talk. They all stopped for pizza on the way home. Then just as they entered Domino, Mia turned to face Joey who was seated in the far back. Joey was staring out the window. 'He's changed so much. His eyes, they're not the same. This isn't the same Joey who left us all ten years ago. But it's Joey none the less, and I have to know... What happened?'

"Joey."

"Huh?"

"Why did you leave?"

"I got a job."

"Why didn't you tell us about it?"

"No time."

"Why didn't you write?"

"I did."

"What?"

"I couldn't send them, they weren't right."

"Where have you been?"

"Where haven't I been?"

"Home."

Yugi pulled into the game shop just then and everyone started to climb out. Teà and Gramps came out and there were hugs all around. Everyone went inside and sat around chatting. Duke, Ryo, and Bakura were making a point of not talking to Joey. Joey didn't mind.

"Why don't you all stay over for dinner?" asked Teà around six.

"Sure."

"Mm-hmm."

"Yeah."

"Sounds good."

"Great. Um, Joey, could you help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure, no problem." Joey got up and followed Teà into the kitchen. He knew what Teà meant by asking him to help her. She wanted to talk to him and give the others a chance to talk.

"How does spaghetti sound to you?"

"Great!"

"Okay, hand me that pan there, the largest one, under the sink."

As Joey and Teà got supper ready everyone began bombarding Yugi with questions.

"How did he get here?"

"Where did he come from?"

"Why did he come back?"

"Why won't he tell us?"

"Slow down!" Yugi said a little louder than he meant to. "One question at a time, pleeeeease."

"How did he get here?"

"He probably walked."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know."

"Where did he come from?"

"I don't know."

"Why did he come back?"

"He told me he wanted to apologize for leaving."

"Why won't he tell us, anything?"

"He says he can't." Yugi was staring at his feet again, "He says if he tells us what he's been doing, or where he's been, or who he's been working for it would only put us in danger and he doesn't want that to happen."

"And you believed him?!"

"Why shouldn't I?" Yugi looked up and there was a fire in his eyes that no one had seen in ten years. "He's the same old Joey, he's older and hopefully a little wiser, but otherwise he's the same as the day he left."

"I believe him," Mia said quietly before Duke or Ryo could say something harsh. Everyone stared at her. She looked up and continued, "I asked him about it just before we got here, he was being as honest as he could be. You could see it, in his eyes."

Everyone was silent for a few minutes; Yugi didn't like it so he told them what Joey had told him earlier. "Joey said that he got a job and had to leave immediately. He said that he wrote us all letters explaining everything, but his boss said if he sent it we'd only end up in danger. He said that he wrote us at least once a week but he usually wasn't in a position to send them and they wouldn't have been approved by his boss anyway."

"This boss seems like a control freak."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Dinner's ready." Teà had reentered the room, "We had a slight fiasco with the burner and not touching the metal of a pan, but everything is okay now."

"Huh?" The rest of the group had followed Teà into the kitchen as she had been explaining this and now they saw what she meant. Joey had his hands under the faucet and a slightly pained expression on his face. His hands were raw and looked like they would blister at any moment. Teà grabbed an icepack out of the freezer and handed it to Joey as everyone else sat down.

Joey began muttering to himself, "I hate cooking. This is why I play with gun powder, not-" he stopped suddenly realizing that everyone was staring at him. "What?" he asked.

"Gun powder?!"

"Crap, you heard that?" they all nodded. "Crap," he repeated, "She's gonna kill me."

"Who?"

"Boss girl number 1. Number 1's gonna kill me and number 2's gonna laugh hysterically. Great."

"Wait, you have two bosses?"

"Yeah, and they're freaks. Not only do they look-" He stopped, "Crap! Being around you guys is really not helping me keep any secrets."

"Good, maybe you'll stop trying."

"Nope, I'm shutting my mouth right now and not saying another word on the matter." And this time he succeeded. Eventually they gave up trying to get more out of him and just ate.

After dinner Teà drove everyone home while Joey and Yugi had another duel, the score was even closer this time. Yugi only won by 30 Lifepoints this time. When Teà got back she scolded them for staying up so late, and sent all three 'boys' to bed.

"Yugi?" Teà started as they climbed into bed.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just that I worried that with Joey back and all..." She trailed off; she felt Yugi's eyes on her.

"I'm fine, honest."

"Okay."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

'Only three more days', Joey thought to himself, 'Three more days and then I leave them again, I don't want to and if I could I would stay. I can't though, I can't risk them. Someday I'll comeback and be able to stay. Maybe boss girl number 1 and boss girl number 2 will come with me. Probably not, but I hope so, at least number 1.' And with that Joey fell into another uneasy sleep.

**Joey: **_(to Bakura)_ Now that she reminds me, you really did sound like the Pharaoh that day.

**Bakura:** I consider that an insult.

**Yami:** Same here!

**Yazani:** _(sniggers)_

**Ryo and Yami:** _(glares)_

**Yazani:**_ (throws up hands)_ I'm innocent!

**Seto:** Matter of opinion.

**Yazani:** Hey!

**Serenity:** _(smirking)_ "Maybe boss girl #1 and boss girl #2 will come too... Especially #1."

**Joey:** What?

**Kitsune:** Yeah, what?

**Serenity: **_(still smirking)_ Oh, nothing... just "Especially #1".

**Joey:** Serenity, what are you trying to get at?

**Serenity:** _(loftily) _Oh, nothing.

**Yazani:**_ (loudly)_ Maybe I should continue with the story now.

**Seto:** Yeah, you better, before we have to scrape Joey off the walls with a spatula.

**Joey:** _(Starts at Seto)_

**Yazani:** _(to Seto with mock surprise) _I didn't know you even knew what a spatula was!

**Everyone, except Seto:**_ (laughs)_

**Seto:**_(glares)_

**Yazani:** I'm gonna go get the mail. _(stands)_

**Yugi:** Why?

**Yazani:** I should be getting something today.

**Seto:** What?

**Yazani: **Oh just a video.

**Seto: **What kind of video?

**Yazani:** A concert.

**Seto: **_(confused)_ What band?

**Yazani: **Uh... mine.

**Everyone: **Yours?!

**Yazani:** Yeah.

**Seto:** Really, you're in a band and you didn't tell me?!

**Yazani:** I told you.

**Seto: **No you didn't. Tell the truth, what kind of video is it?

**Yazani: **I told you it's a video of my band concert. _(quietly)_ From when I went to... to Band Camp.

**Tristan:** One time, at Band Camp...

**Yazani:** Shut up Tristan, it's really not funny.

**Duke: **Yeah it is.

**Seto: **_(stands up menacingly)_ Oh yeah?

**Yazani: **I knew you would understand. Thanks. _(stands and heads out to get mail)_


	5. Goodbye and Good Riddance

**Chapter Four:** Goodbye and Good Riddance

The next two days went by without anything odd happening. Joey helped Yugi and Gramps out in the game shop. They didn't like to leave him alone. He knew that they thought that if they left him alone for very long he'd run off. Joey had no intention of running off though. The gang kept stopping by the shop, they weren't too chatty with Joey, but they didn't ignore him either. Serenity was the only one who didn't come by.

Even Mokuba stopped by on Thursday. He hadn't heard that Joey was back and so at first glance, Mokuba thought that Joey was a ghost. Mokuba had only stopped by to drop off something for his brother, so when he hadn't come back to the car after five minutes, Rebecca went in to tell him to hurry up. She was turning around to leave when she froze and turned back to the small group.

"Joey?" Rebecca said confusedly. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting my friends, why?" Joey was a little suspicious of the look on Rebecca's face.

"I just wondered," Rebecca shrugged, "Because the last time I saw you, you were getting on a plane to Albania."

The whole room went silent. Everyone was staring at Joey confused, but Joey was staring at Rebecca horrified. How could she have seen him getting on that plane? Joey didn't know what to say.

"Why were you in Albania?" asked Mokuba astounded, then to Rebecca, "When did you see Joey? None of us had seen him for ten years."

"Oh, I was on my way home from seeing Grandpa. I thought that I had been hallucinating, but there he was. I tried to catch up to you," Rebecca said to Joey, "But you didn't seem to hear me. At first you were having a bit of a fight with the security guard, then when I thought I had caught up to you, you were gone. I kept my eyes open and saw you boarding a plane. I did a little digging and learned that it had one stop before returning there, the one stop was Albania."

"Really, when did you see that?" asked Joey still not sure of what to say.

"Last week, don't tell me you were never in Albania," said Rebecca firmly before Joey could open his mouth, "I know it was you. There are things about you, not just the way you act, or talk, but also the way you move that in a hundred years we would never forget."

"Okay, I won't deny it."

Mokuba interrupted then, "You didn't answer me, why were you in Albania?"

"My job."

"What are you, a translator?"

Joey gave a weak smile.

"He's a spy," said Rebecca suddenly. Everyone gaped. Only Joey's face remained impassive.

"Sure I am, and you are Madam President of the World."

"That's my plan," Rebecca smirked. She had been teasing and everyone relaxed. Mokuba and Rebecca stayed for a while to chat, but then they had to leave.

Later that night after another duel that ended with a tie, Joey had been getting better all week, they all headed off to bed. Yugi awoke at midnight. He climbed carefully out of bed so as not to disturb Teà. Yugi went down the hall and down the stairs to the living room without turning on any lights. Yugi froze in the door way. He could hear strange noises coming from the vicinity of the couch, it sounded like begging, and crying. Yugi didn't do anything at first, but as he stood there he heard the words.

"Please… no… don't hurt them… leave my friends alone… take me… take me instead…kill me, do whatever you want with me, just please… please… don't hurt my friends…" Then more struggling, and finally a loud thud, like someone hitting their head on a very hard object and everything was silent once more.

It only took a split second for Yugi to make up his mind, he flipped on the light switch expecting to see a murderer standing over Joey's limp form, instead he saw Joey lying on the floor all tangled up in the blankets he had been using all week. It looked as though he had fallen off the couch. Yugi crossed the room in two strides and bent down in an attempt to wake Joey up. Joey's eyelids flickered then snapped open. He sat up a little too quickly and felt all the blood rush out of his head. He put his hand to his head while a small "whoa" escaped his lips. When the spinning had stopped Joey looked up to see Yugi kneeling beside him looking a bit worried.

"Joey, what happened?" asked Yugi in his small concerned voice, "It sounded like someone was trying to kill you."

"It was just a nightmare," Joey said dismissively. Yugi stood and extended his hand to help Joey up. Joey took it and as he stood, something fell out of his coat pocket. Joey didn't notice at first, but Yugi did.

"Joey what's that? It fell out of your pocket." Joey spun around, scooped the thing up and shoved it back in his pocket all in one fluid movement.

"It's nothing," Joey thought Yugi hadn't seen what it really was. They sat down on the couch, side by side.

Yugi took a deep breath, "Joey, why do you have a gun? Why do you have a gun, in my house?"

So Yugi had seen it after all. Joey didn't reply at first.

"Joey, answer me."

"It's for protection."

"Joey!"

"I didn't do anything bad, I'm not in trouble with the police and I'm not a fugitive."

"Then what do you need a gun for?"

"If I'm not a bad guy, then what other reason would I have to carry a gun?"

"I don't know Joey."

"Please don't worry about it, I'll be leaving later today anyway and then you won't have to worry about it at all."

"Joey!"

"Maybe I should go now."

"Joey!"

"Then everyone would think that I had snuck out in the night and-"

"JOEY!!"

"What?"

"You're my friend and I worry about you. Now I have even more reason to be worried. Do really think that I'll just let you run off without an explanation. I want to know why you have a gun, now."

"I told you, it's for protection."

"From what? Who?"

"Anyone who wouldn't want me to live."

"For example."

"Sanoke."

"Who?"

"No one you know."

"Joey!"

"Look Yug, I can't tell you, I wish I could. But can't and we've already been over this. As soon as I'm safe I'll come back and bring my bosses, they'll explain, but until then I can't tell you anything more. I would rather not tell you anything than tell you a lie, which is why I didn't tell you anything. Please, please believe me." Joey actually slipped onto the floor and was on his knees begging.

"I'm sorry Joey, but you need to leave."

"I know," Joey stood up, "I'll see you… when I see you." Joey headed for the door. Yugi stood up and Joey stopped.

Joey turned around, ran up to Yugi, and gave him a hug. Yugi returned the hug a little more slowly then just before Joey pulled away Yugi heard Joey say in a small voice, "Just in case."

Yugi followed Joey to the door.

"Tell Serenity goodbye for me and watch over her, tell them all goodbye for me."

"Okay Joey."

"Goodbye Yug."

"Later Joey." With a final wave Yugi let Joey leave. Yugi watched Joey disappear. He stood there for a few more minutes before turning around and heading into the house. He went and turned off the light in the living room before heading back upstairs to bed.

Joey walked down the street, keeping to the darkest of the shadows. Joey passed the park and decided to go through the trees. As he walked he found himself thinking about whether or not Yugi would still be his friend when he came back. Joey automatically corrected himself, if he came back. 'I can't leave till dark tonight so I may as well go around and see the old haunts.' With that thought Joey turned down the street and started toward the night club that had once been his turf.

Teà was first up as usual. She went down stairs and started breakfast. When breakfast was almost ready Teà went to the living room calling Joey to wake up. Then she went upstairs to wake up Yugi and Gramps. When she got back down she went to see if Joey was up.

"Joey, you need to get up now, unless you don't want any breakfast." When she got no response she flipped on the light. The blankets were strewn over the back of the couch, but no Joey in sight.

"Yugi," Teà called up the stairs, "Yugi, Joey's gone."

"I know," came Yugi's quiet voice from right behind Teà.

"What do you mean?"

"He left early this morning, before we got up. He told me to tell you goodbye." Yugi turned and walked into the kitchen where he engrossed himself in his e-mails. Teà came in, she wanted to ask Yugi some questions, but one look at his face and she knew that that would be a very bad idea. She remained silent.

When Gramps came down the first thing that he noticed was that Joey wasn't there. Teà told him what Yugi had told her.

No one spoke. Then just as Teà was putting away the dishes the phone rang. Teà answered it.

"Hello?...Oh, hi!...Yes we're doing fine… You're in town today… Well, I don't know…Well, I guess… Hold on, I'll ask Yugi," Teà put her hand over the receiver, "Yugi, it's Carla and Heather, they're in town and want to know if we'll meet them at the beach for lunch today. They have to leave early tomorrow morning and don't know when they will be back. Shall we go?"

Yugi nodded.

Teà removed her hand and spoke to the girls on the other end of the line. "We'll see you there… Twelve noon?... Sounds great… Alright… Bye." Teà turned away from the phone.

"I don't think I'll go with you this time," said Gramps, "I'm tired and would like to just relax today, order a pizza…"

"Grandpa!" Yugi laughed, "You know pizza is on the 'DO NOT EAT IF YOU WANT TO LIVE' list."

"I know, but I also don't care."

"Okay, but only this one time."

Just then the door bell rang.

"Come on in Seto," called Yugi loudly.

"How did you know it was me?" asked Seto as he came in.

"You have the most amazing ability to make the door bell sound just as impatient and irritated as you are," Yugi laughed. Teà, Gramps, and even Seto himself laughed at this.

"The mutt gone?"

"Seto."

"Is he?"

"Yes. He left early this morning."

"Good," Seto looked like he wanted to keep talking but his cell phone rang and he answered with an impatient and rude, "What?!...Oh, it's you two…Well, what do you want?... No I can't come to the beach… Don't you dare!...You, little… Fine, I'll be there." With that he hung up.

Before he could explain, Yugi spoke up. "They got us too. Do you want a ride?"

"No, I may as well go pick up Mokuba and Rebecca, they'll want to come too."

"So why did you come over?"

"Actually, I was working and saw the time. I realized you're right, I need help. I can't take much more of these all-nighters, but I can't seem to settle down. What do I do?"

Yugi knew something was wrong, Seto never asked for help. "What's wrong?"

"I can't sleep. I try, but every time, I wake up from the same nightmare. It's got two people I care about and one I don't walking. At first I'm walking with them, but then they run away from me telling me to stay there, I try to follow, but they get to a building and when they open the door the building explodes and they all die. It's so real, I can feel the flames and I don't dare sleep because it will come back."

"Oh, who are the people?"

"I can't see their faces. I just know that the two are friends and the other isn't."

Teà and Gramps had left when Seto had answered his phone and Yugi checked that they weren't with in ear shot before he replied.

"Here, take these," Yugi pulled a bottle of pills out of his pocket, "They're sleeping pills, they won't let the nightmares haunt you. Take one ten minutes before you go to bed and you should be asleep within minutes."

Seto took the pills, read the label, and jerked his head up, "Where did you get these?! You shouldn't have these! You told us that you didn't have them, or need them any more! Why did you lie to us?!"

"I didn't want you all to keep worrying about me, so I told my doctor the problem, so we came up with the idea that he gets the pills for me and he gives them to me once a month."

"Did you ever consider that we would worry more if you didn't tell us?!"

"No, I didn't. I just felt it easier that you all think that I was over it than to have you all worrying abut me taking my pills."

"Yugi!"

"Don't get after me Seto! Just let me worry about me, and you need to worry about you."

"Okay."

They started talking about the usual small things and Yugi was glad to see that Seto pocketed the pills. The day went by quickly and Seto left at 11:00 to pick up Mokuba and Rebecca. Teà and Yugi packed up their beach bag and started toward the beach. When they got there they realized that Carla and Heather must have called the whole gang because Tristan and Serenity were climbing out of their car and Mia, Duke, and Ryo were waving to them. They gathered on the edge of the parking lot they were just about to head over to their usual place when Seto, Mokuba, and Rebecca pulled up and parked.

"Are they here yet?" asked Seto rudely.

"N-"

"Yes, we're right here." The group spun around to face the two new comers. Both were tall, as tall as Seto, and they were standing in matching bathing suits. Heather had brown hair and ice blue eyes. Carla had black hair with red tips and blond streaks; she also had warm violet eyes.

"Well, let's go," said the two girls in unison.

When the group got to their spot they saw that Carla and Heather already had lunch set up. They all sat down and enjoyed the delicious homemade foods. After lunch the group sat talking and just enjoying each others company. Their spot was empty, on each side of them, perpendicular to the water line, were rocks, perfect for hide and seek for little kids. While listening to everyone else talk, Carla and Heather were put on edge by movement in the shadows of the rocks. Somehow the conversation had switched to Joey.

"Joey?" asked Carla and Heather together.

"He was one of our best friends; he disappeared the day after graduation and hadn't been seen or heard from for ten years. He showed up on Serenity's doorstep and spent the week with me and Teà."

"Oh," Carla and Heather exchanged a glance the others didn't catch. All of a sudden Heather and Carla jumped up and shouted, "Race you to the water!" and off they went.

Mokuba was up next and started to chase after them laughing; he caught up to them and passed them.

**"GET DOWN!!"**

Just then a shot rang out in the air, and the trio went down in a whirlwind of sand.

8

**Yazani:** _(smiles evilly)_ I know horrible place to stop, evil cliffy and all, but it's fun.

**Kitsune:** You need to work on subtlety.

**Yazani:** Shut up.

**Mokuba:** You're making it sound like I died!

**Yazani and Kitsune:** _(share a glance) _Well…

**Mokuba:** I AM NOT DEAD!!

**Yazani:** Uh… I need to go. _(jumps up and starts for the door)_

**Mokuba:** YAZANI!! I AM NOT DEAD!! _(jumps up after Yazani)_

**Yazani: **_(jumps over a chair, trips, and falls)_

**Tea:** Yazani!!

**Yazani: **_(doesn't move)_

**Everyone: **_(jumps up and runs over to the unconscious Yazani)_

**Yugi:** Yazani!!

**Yazani:**_ (moans and wakes up)_

**Kitsune:** See I told you guys we should have poked her with a stick!


	6. The Truth Comes Out

**Chapter Five:** The Truth Comes Out

"Stay down and don't move!" ordered two voices in Mokuba's ear. He started to get up but two very powerful arms pushed him down again.

"**MOKUBA!!"** Seto was up in a flash and halfway to where the trio had fallen when the sand cleared. Before the last bit of sand had settled two forms shot out heading in Seto's direction. Suddenly the shots rang out again. The sand on either side of the forms flew into the air as the bullets missed their intended targets. Seto kept on running toward the third person who hadn't moved yet. "MOKUBA!" Seto called out again.

"BIG BROTHER!" Seto's heart leapt for joy.

Somehow, the gang reached Mokuba's side safely.

"Mokuba! Are you alright?!" asked Seto frantically while the bullets continued to chase the two girls.

"Yeah. They shoved me out of the way and told me not to move." Mokuba was sitting up now and as he turned to face Seto, saw what was behind him. "**NO!!"**

Two of the bullets had finally found their targets. The girls were sent sprawling, but quick as a flash they were up and running again. They were slower now, pain and sand working together to bring them down. More shots found their way into human flesh and the girls went down one last time. The shots died and two masked men came out of the rocks on either side of the two limp forms.

The gang sat motionless in the sand by Mokuba as the men slowly went to their prey. All of a sudden another man came streaking out of the rocks, he tackled the man nearest him, knocking him out, and before the other could react, he shot the murderer. This new stranger grabbed the machine gun of the unconscious man and ran to the two lifeless forms in the sand.

The rest of the gang was a little slower but shortly after the stranger reached the girls so did the gang. The stranger didn't turn around; he was already working to remove the bullets from the unconscious Heather.

"Who are… **JOEY!!**"

Joey whirled around to face Yugi. His face registered obvious shock but in a flash it was gone and he was working to get the bullets out of Carla too. No one moved. Suddenly Joey spoke up.

"Well don't just stand there, **CALL AN AMBULANCE DAMN IT!!**" He was still working frantically checking for more bullets and starting to bind up the open wounds with torn strips of his shirt. In a flash Rebecca was on the phone.

"Joey what are you doing here?" asked Yugi still shocked.

"I can't…"

"We'll tell you," came a soft voice. It was Heather. She sat up and looked around at the shocked faces of her friends. "Carla, we have to explain, everything."

Carla sat up too then, shaking her head slowly as though trying to think clearly. She glanced at Heather and knew she was right. She nodded, "I'll start." And that started the strangest revelation the gang had ever heard, except Joey, he had heard stranger.

Flashback

Joey was walking home late one evening after a hard day of testing. 'That's it! Freedom!' Joey thought to himself. He had just finished taking his finals and tomorrow he and the rest of the gang would be graduating. 'This'll be great. Teà will become a dancer, Ryo will head to college to major in archeology, Yugi will take over the game shop, Tristan will… be Tristan, and I'll have more time to be with Mia.' These thoughts were the only things that had kept Joey going through the last few weeks of school in which it was test after test after test. But best of all Joey would never have to see the face of that stupid rich boy Kiaba ever again, at least not a regular basis.

Joey was passing a particularly dark alley when he heard it. A soft whimpering sound, he froze. Then it came again, just as weak. Joey glanced down the alley, no one ever went in that alley, there had been twenty dead bodies found there in the past five years, all the cases had remained unsolved. As Joey looked he saw four shadows, two supporting the other two.

The two weaker ones were leaned up against the alley wall where they crumpled into two balls, still whimpering. A harsh voice came to Joey's ears, "No point trying to call for help, no one can hear ya, and even if they could they wouldn't come."

The forms continued to whimper and the other man lashed out at them, his foot connected with flesh and a dull thud was heard as a head hit the concrete wall. One of the men pulled something out of his coat and aimed ready to fire. Joey made up his mind in an instant. He leapt into the alley and knocked the closer of the two men to the ground. Before the other could do anything more than glance at him with a startled "What the hell!" Joey had hit him hard across the back of the head rendering him, like his friend, unconscious.

Joey then turned his attention the two forms on the ground, which were now standing. They looked at Joey and then at each other before working together to free each other.

The one closer to the street reached down and pulled a gun out of the unconscious man's coat as the other went after the gun that had been dropped. They stood up straight and each grabbed one of Joey's arms leading him back to the street and light.

"Who are you?" asked the taller of the two girls when the three some were out of the alley. Joey didn't reply; he was surprised, to say the least, when he saw that the two people he had just saved were girls.

"She asked you a question," said the slightly shorter one, her voice was quieter, but there was still a bit of a threat in it.

"Joey Wheeler," replied Joey at last.

"Who do you work for?" asked the first girl.

"What do you mean?" Joey had no idea why they acting so rude, "I just saved your butts and you don't even say thank you, who do you think you are anyway!" Joey pulled his arm out of her grip and straightened his jacket.

The first girl looked like she wanted to hit him, but the other one grabbed her friend's arm and spoke for her.

"You're so right, but if you knew what we've been through you would understand. Thank you so much for saving us," She had a soft almost sing-song voice which calmed Joey down. She turned to her friend and spoke low and soft so that Joey couldn't hear what she said. Then they both turned back to Joey.

"Thank you," said the first girl who seemed to be frustrated but calmer, "It's just that, with everything that's happened, we're kind of jumpy."

"No problem, but what were you doing… I mean, what were they doing… I mean, what the hell's going on here?!"

Both girls jumped as Joey almost screamed the last few words. "We can't tell you, I'm sorry, but thank you again." The girls turned to go back into the alley, Joey reached out his hands to stop them, but they had already frozen. The two men were gone.

"Crap!"

"Language!"

"Sorry."

"What?!" Joey was even more confused now.

The two girls turned to face each other they, seemed to be having a wordless conversation; at the same time they both glanced at Joey, then at each other with a slight nod. They spun around and once again grabbed Joey's arms to lead him.

"You're coming with us buster," said the shorter one.

"No complaints, we've got the guns now remember," added the other as Joey made to stop, at this he changed his mind and let himself be led to the apartment just above his.

They unlocked the door, shoved Joey inside, entered, and relocked the door before turning on any lights. Joey looked around confused at the very normal looking apartment. This was no place for gangsters or kidnappers to live, and he assumed that these two very normal looking girls had to either be gangsters or kidnappers.

"Sit."

"Please."

Joey sat down on the couch the girls indicated and wondered how he had ever gotten into this mess. The girls left the room; they were having a hushed conversation in the kitchen. Only a few senseless words reached his ears. When they returned Joey took a good look at the girls, he gasped.

The taller one had short cropped brown hair and ice blue eyes, she was tall and thin, but she was strong, stronger than she looked. The other had shoulder length black hair with red tips and blond highlights, she also had warm violet eyes to match her voice, and she too looked both thin and strong. The violet eyed one held a plate full of ham, lettuce, and cheese sandwiches and the other was carrying two Cokes and one Seven Up.

They placed the food on the coffee table and sat down in the chairs on either side of it so that they were on both sides of Joey and there was no way for him to escape.

The violet eyed one spoke first, "Joseph Katsuya Wheeler, senior, born January 1, 6' 4", 169 lbs, type B blood, friend of Yugi Mouto, Tristan Taylor, Teà Gardner, and Ryo Bakura, second place Duelist Kingdom Tournament, fourth place Battle City Tournament, need I go on?"

"Okay… So you know who I am, but, who are you two?"

"Carla Michelle Brookey, senior, born December 2, 6'1", 135 lbs, type AB blood," replied the Violet eyed one.

"Heather Ranay Biggs, senior, born November 17, 6'3", 140 lbs, type A blood," said the brunette.

"Okay," Joey was stilled confused.

"You are being officially recruited for the UCSO," Heather continued, "You will receive health benefits and a generous paycheck. You will need to be ready to leave in two days, say your goodbyes, but there is a catch, you cannot tell anyone where you are going or anything we are about to tell you, is that clear?"

"Uh…No!"

"What's the problem?"

"You are, but, for now I'd be happy if you told me what the he-"

"Language!"

"What the UCSO is."

Carla blushed and Heather coughed looking away.

Carla answered, "The UCSO is, well it's a pathetic name, but it's the United Countries Spy Organization. Don't get us wrong," she added hastily as Joey's jaw dropped through the floor to his apartment, "We're not the bad guys, but, well, it really is a pathetic name. If I could, I'd strangle the person who came up with it."

"So you're spies, but you're good guys?" asked Joey after he picked up his jaw off the floor.

"Yeah, basically."

"And you want me to join you?"

"Yep."

"And it doesn't matter that I haven't graduated yet?"

"Nope."

"Or that I have no training?"

"Mmm-hm."

"You're both out of your minds."

"Well, that's true too, but…"

"But what?!"

"You saved us and now They know who you are so the only way for us to repay the debt by protecting you is to recruit you so that you will have the necessary training to keep yourself alive. Besides, we've seen you around and when it comes to trouble, you seem to be right in the middle of it, and yet you're still alive."

"Okay, well, what if I don't want to go with you two idiots?" asked Joey who still didn't really get it.

"Well, if you don't go with us they'll come after you here. First they'll threaten you and capture you and beat you, then they'll let you go. Next if you don't tell them what they want to know they'll start kidnapping, beating, and killing those who are close to you, first your friends, then your girlfriend, then you sister, and they'll keep killing those around you until they get what they want," answered Heather.

"Heather!" said Carla exasperatedly, "We're supposed to convince him everything will be alright, not give him nightmares about what might happen!"

"What do they want to know that they think I might know?" asked Joey who was, even though he was convinced that he had fallen asleep during one of his tests, curious about what these girls had to say.

"They'll want any and all information you have about the UCSO," Carla said with a look that clearly read, DUH!!

"But I don't know anything about the UCSO, so what do they want me to tell them."

"They will think that you are on our side because you saved us just now, what else are they supposed to think; that you just happened to hear them and decided to be a pain and save two people you didn't even know."

"I see your point, and since I'm convinced that this is all a dream, I'll go with you two, but I have to let everyone know that I'll be okay first," Joey stood up but looked back as a thought suddenly struck him, "I will be okay won't I, I mean I'll be able to write or call or come back someday won't I?"

"Uh, we can't promise anything, but…" Heather trailed off.

"I'm sure you'll see your friends again," Carla said quietly as she gazed at Joey, then realizing she was staring smiled and looked away.

"Okay, then, can I go?"

"Sure," both girls stood up and walked him to the door, where they gave him some more instructions before they watched him go back to his own apartment.

After closing the door Carla spoke up, "Are we sure we're making the right choice, inviting him to join us. After all, didn't he just say that he was convinced that this whole thing was a dream?"

"You know I think we're making a mistake, but what's done is done and there is no way to take it back now so we'll just have to live with the consequences."

End Flashback

The gang listened patiently to the story while Joey kept taking the girls pulse. Finally just as the ambulances were arriving they finished. The medics came and after checking the wounds placed each girl on a stretcher. They had to be tied down because they kept trying to sit up and tell more of the story of how Joey came to work for them. The medics wouldn't let anyone but family on the ambulances but Joey spoke to one of them and he was allowed to ride with Carla and Heather.

The rest of the gang all climbed into their cars and started after the ambulances. Everyone was silent thinking about what Heather and Carla had told them. Teà drove because Yugi's hands were shaking too badly for him to be a safe driver. Teà was worried about Yugi, she hoped that all of this information wouldn't send him back to the way he was just after Joey left, quiet, sad, depressed.

Seto was shocked; he wondered how a mutt like Wheeler could have become a great spy. 'How could he have become better than me?' thought Seto, 'What am I thinking!? That mutt isn't better than me, just because he saved their lives.' Mokuba and Rebecca were scared that their friends might be more hurt than they let on. They didn't want to lose a friend.

Tristan was driving like a normal person, which showed how worried he was; normally he was a maniac behind the wheel. Serenity was crying silently, she kept scolding herself for being angry with her Big Brother. 'He was only protecting us. Why didn't I trust him? He's my brother I should have known.'

Mia was sad; she felt that it was her fault. She wished she had known. Duke was amazed that the scrawny punk, he humiliated on global television had become a great spy. It just wasn't possible. Ryo was silent he couldn't think he couldn't speak; it just didn't make any sense.

When they reached the hospital they all ran in to find Joey impatiently pacing in the waiting room. When he saw everyone he stopped pacing and made to say something, but his mouth wasn't working properly, so instead he motioned to the chairs behind him. When no one sat, he indicated the O.R.; some nodded then all eleven of them sat down.

No one spoke. After two hours the doctor came in, the whole crowd of them was on their feet in an instant. The doctor looked surprised and addressed himself to Joey.

"Your friends will be alright, Mr…"

"Wheeler, but they are our friends," Joey put in gesturing around the room.

"Oh, well, I see, um. The wounds will heal quickly. Don't take this the wrong way, but, these were the best gun shot wounds I've ever seen, in that they are easy to fix and won't leave anything more than a scar and a bad memory."

"Can we go see them?" Joey asked. He needed to talk to them.

"Perhaps only two of you for now, they will need their rest."

The group looked around at each other. No one stepped forward for a minute so Seto spoke up. Then the problem was for another person to volunteer.

"You go Joey," said Teà quietly. Joey nodded and he and Seto followed the doctor down the hall to the room Heather and Carla were sharing.

The girls looked up as Seto and Joey entered. They didn't speak for a while so Heather spoke up.

"We're fine. You know we're fine Joey, you've seen us worse off then this."

"She's right you know," added Carla, "We've been through worse, this really isn't bad, the worst part by far will be the "DON'T LEAVE THE BEDS" rule. I hate that rule."

"What do I do?" asked Joey suddenly.

"Call Boss and tell him what happened and that you and the two of us require medical leave."

"That's not what I meant."

"We know."

"I thought that you two were the bosses," Seto interrupted.

"We're only second in command; we have a boss too, although we can't give you his name."

"What about…"

"Tell them, we already blew it by telling them what we did, so we may as well let them know the rest of the story. Answer any and all questions for them that you can," said Heather calmly.

"That's an order," Carla added as it looked as though Joey was about to protest.

The doctor came back in then, "I'm afraid that the two of you will need to leave now so that they may get some much needed rest."

When Joey and Seto got back to the waiting room Mokuba ran up to his brother and gave him a hug.

"They're gonna be okay, right?"

"Yeah, they're gonna be just fine," Seto answered. Then he turned to Joey, "Well Wheeler. Tell us."

Everyone looked at Joey. Who looked at his hands, took a deep breath and told the rest of the story.

"I went back the next day, after graduation just to make sure it had been a dream, when I found them there they told me it hadn't been a dream and that they really did need me to come with them. I didn't really want to but, they said that they were really glad that I had found them because, as it turned out, my name was at the top of their list of people to be recruited. They said that I was chosen because of my gang history and because they had been watching me for some years because my uncle worked for them before he died. He had requested that Serenity and I be watched after, so that we were never hurt for the things that he did.

"After that I met you in the park Yugi and asked you to look in on Serenity from time to time. I wanted to tell you what I was really going to do but I couldn't. I tried to keep an eye on you but once my training was over after three months I was moved out and sent on my first mission. Carla and Heather were given direct command over me. They took me under their wing. They protected me, they saved my life more times than I can count and I got the chance to save them again from time to time. I came back because, if things go as planned I'll be retiring soon, within the next couple of years, as will Heather and Carla. I hope you can forgive me for leaving."

Everyone was silent. Serenity stood up, crossed the room and collapsed in her brother's arms. Yugi stood too and gave Joey a hug. The next second Joey found his friends on all sides of him. So they didn't hate him. They weren't mad. Maybe things could work out for the better.

Only Seto didn't join the hugging and silently crying group. He still didn't like Joey, but he was impressed with his courage. After a few minutes the group broke apart. Since Seto was the only one not crying he spoke up.

"Why don't we all go over to my house tonight? It's closest and I've got extra room. Then tomorrow morning we can all come over here together." Everyone nodded their consent. Joey hung behind as the group started for the parking lot.

"Well, come on Wheeler," said Seto's voice in his ear very suddenly. Joey nodded and followed Seto.

Back at Seto's mansion Mokuba and Rebecca went straight to their room while Seto showed everyone else to their rooms. Ryo and Joey got rooms to themselves.

Yugi, Seto, and Joey all awoke around midnight. Seto and Yugi had forgotten to take a pill before bed, thus all three were awoken by nightmares. They met at the head of the stairs and went down to sit in the living room together.

"Wheeler."

"What Kiaba?"

"I'm impressed."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

Yugi sighed. Both looked at him questioningly, he hadn't said a word since Joey had showed up at the beach.

"What? Can't I be glad that my two best friends were able to have a whole conversation without arguing for once?"

Seto smirked and Joey smiled. Yugi let out a slight giggle and leaned back falling asleep with a slight smile on his face.

The next morning the others came down stairs to find all three boys zonked out on the couch. Yugi was curled up in a ball in the middle of the couch, while Seto and Joey were curled up at each end. Mokuba had his camera out before anyone knew what was going on and snapped a quick picture before heading upstairs to print it. A few minutes later, while everyone else was eating breakfast Yugi woke up. He looked at Seto and Joey on either side of him and decided to let them sleep on for a few minutes.

When Yugi came back in he found Joey sitting up on the floor rubbing his head and Seto looking at Joey confused.

"What happened?" asked Yugi as he ran over to help Joey up.

"Nothing, nightmare," Joey climbed back onto the couch, "What time is it?"

"It's seven thirty, visiting hours start at eight, so we have just enough time for you two to get dressed and eat before we have to leave to go see Heather and Carla."

"Okay."

"Sure."

Seto caught Joey in the hall, his clothes were all dirty, "Do you have anything clean to wear?"

"All my clothes are clear across town, why?"

"Follow me." Seto lead Joey into his room and pulled out some old jeans, a t-shirt, and a jean jacket Seto had been planning on giving Mokuba but had turned out to be too big and he simply hadn't bothered to take it back.

"Thanks Kiaba." Joey was so glad that Seto wasn't being the jerk that he used to be.

When they got downstairs everyone was in the living room so Seto and Joey had the kitchen to themselves. Neither spoke for a while. Then Joey spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For what I did to Yugi."

"I'm actually glad you left."

"Why?"

"Because if you hadn't, Yugi and I wouldn't be friends."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

There was silence for a while.

"Wheeler."

"Yeah?"

"Nice work yesterday."

"Thanks."

At ten minutes to eight the gang climbed into their cars and went to the hospital where they found Heather and Carla sitting up in bed speaking in...Egyptian?!

The girls didn't notice the door open or the eleven people enter their room and thus continued talking. All of a sudden Bakura and Yami had taken over and yelled together in Egyptian. The girls jumped and Carla almost fell out of bed. Then the four continued to argue in Egyptian before all fell silent.

"Sorry," said Carla quietly.

"No it's our fault," returned Yami before he let Yugi take over again and Bakura too disappeared after giving the two girls a last glare.

"What was that about?" asked Yugi after having taken control again.

"Nothing," replied three voices. Everyone stared at Joey, who had answered too. Joey glanced up at the silence and, having realized his mistake, looked to Heather for help.

"Great, more explaining," Heather said exasperatedly, "We have to learn at least a little of the language of any country we go to, more depending on how long we stay there. One our bigger assignments was in Egypt, so obviously, we learned Egyptian."

"So how are all of you?" Carla interrupted in an attempt to change the subject.

"Why are you asking us, we didn't get shot up like Swiss cheese!" said Ryo.

"Mmmm, cheese, I like cheese, don't like Swiss that much though. Velveeta's good on saltines, have you ever tried it like that?"

"CARLA!" came Heather's voice.

"Whaaaaat!?"

"Rambling!"

"Oh, sorry."

Joey covered his eyes with his hand and slowly shook it as though wondering how these two crazy girls ever got to be second in command of the UCSO.

"Don't give me that look Joey; you know I'm only like this because it's fun. I mean how would you survive without me?"

Joey opened his mouth to answer but a cell phone suddenly went off and Carla jumped to answer it. She pulled open the drawer beside her and fumbling with the phone said, "Hello?... Oh, hi… Sorry, we're busy… No I'm not kidding… I'm not going to give her my phone!... Will you leave us alone… You want to know what happened?... Ambush, does that explain it… NO DON'T COME HERE!!... NO DO…" Carla froze with a look of pure horror on her face and slowly turned to face Heather.

"He's coming… here!"

Carla nodded slowly then her face became angry, "He hung up on me! How dare he! I'm gonna kill him." Then she slammed the phone shut and threw it back in the drawer, slamming that too. Everyone starred.

"Carla?" Heather was starring from her friend to their visitors and back again, "He's coming here, now?"

"Yeah, I… oh crud," it had finally clicked, their boss was coming here and no one else could meet him. "He'll be here soon."

"Oh no."

"What?" asked Teà at last.

"Uh," said Heather noncommittally.

"Do you guys trust us?" asked Carla.

"That depends," said Joey, "Do we trust you two about what?"

"Do you trust us enough to leave and not come back until we call you?"

"Yeah," Joey replied and he turned for the door, but Seto stepped in the way. He folded his arms and looked at the two girls.

"No," Seto said firmly, "I don't trust you and I don't see how anyone else could either."

There was silence for a few minutes before Heather spoke up, "Fine, have it your way, but don't say we didn't warn you. I mean, hey, doesn't bug us if you meet our boss, but it might bug him and he is rather careful about who knows who and what he is."

"Heather!" Carla cried surprised at her friend's lack of concern, "He'll make them all join the UCSO and then they'll have to be trained and then they'll be sent against you-know-who and they'll probably get themselves killed!"

"Now who's the pessimist?"

"I'm not being pessimistic, I'm being realistic. I'm not willing to risk the lives of the few real friends we actually have, are you?"

"It'll be their own fault."

"Heather!"

"I don't care what Kiaba says, I trust you," said Joey loudly and he pushed past Seto and left for the waiting room. There was silence again for a while. This time Yugi broke the silence.

"I guess I trust you too, I mean after all, you've given us no reason not to," and with that he followed Joey out the door. The rest of the gang followed. At last only Seto was left, he shut the door and spoke quietly to the two girls who were looking stubbornly back at him.

"You aren't going to let me help the two of you are you?"

"No."

"Is there anyway I can get you to change your minds?"

"No."

"What if I just stood here and waited, then what would you do?"

"Nothing, our boss just wouldn't come in."

"So he'd stand outside the door?"

"No he'd go to another room and wait till you left."

"Fine, you win, this time."

"We'll call you."

**Yazani:** Well, that was fun.

**Mokuba:** That was long, why was it so long?

**Yazani:** I just couldn't find a good stopping place.

**Yugi:** _(yawns)_ Well, I'm glad you finally did. But that reminds me, it really was amazing that the two of you got a long without fighting. _(turns to Seto and Joey)_ You had a whole three conversations without yelling.

**Joey:** Yeah, well.

**Seto:** So?

**Yazani:** I think it's great that you two started to get along.

**Mia:** Well, hon, that's not saying much, you'd think it was great if he _(nods her head at Kiaba)_ fetched a cat out of a tree.

**Yazani:** Cat in a tree!! Where?! I'll save you poor kitty!! _(runs out of room with hand in the air)_

**Everyone: **_(sweatdropped)_

**Seto and Joey: **_(puts head in hand and shakes head)_

**Yazani:** _(reenters with hands behind back and "I'm gonna kill ya" smile)_ Not funny.

**Mia:** Uh… that wasn't my point.

**Yazani: **I have something for you, would you like it?

**Mia:** Uh… no thanks.

**Yazani:** But I got it just for you.

**Mia:** Well that's sweet hon, but no.

**Yazani: **Ahhh, come on.

**Mia:** No, thanks.

**Yazani: **_(lunges at Mia)_

**Mia:** _(finches)_

**Everyone: **_(jumps up to stop Yazani killing Mia)_

**Yazani: **Happy Birthday!! _(holds out homemade cake)_ You didn't think I'd forget now did you?!


	7. Not Another One!

**Chapter Six:** "Not another one!!"

The gang met up in the waiting room and stayed there for more reasons than one. Joey knew that if he left the big boss would get the girls out of the hospital that day and then he'd send them out on a mission before they could even take off the bandages. Seto figured he might get some idea of who this mystery boss was if he hung around. Yugi wanted to ask Joey more questions and everyone else didn't want to be the first to leave.

"Joey-" Yugi started but he was interrupted by a ringing in his pants pocket, "Hello?... Grandpa!!... I am so sorry I didn't call, it's just that… Where are we?... We're at Domino Hospital… No, Tea and I are fine… It was Carla and Heather that got hurt… It's a really strange story, that involves Joey and Egyptian… No I'm not kidding… No, you don't need to worry… Well, they got shot up pretty bad, but the doctor says they'll be okay with time… Please don't worry… No, don't take a taxi; I'll come get you… Yeah… Grandpa!... Alright, I promise… Grandpa!... I promise I'll be careful and not go alone… Okay, see you soon… Love you too… Bye." Yugi put the phone back in his pocket and looked at the others, "I'll be back."

"Yugi," Joey stepped up to Yugi, "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, why don't you come along?"

"Okay," Joey turned to the group, "Keep your eyes open for a set of two or three Egyptians, whenever the Big Boss comes there is always a set of two or three Egyptians that show up."

Everyone starred dumbstruck by what Joey knew, with that Yugi and Joey left.

"Egyptians, huh?" said Yugi once he and Joey were out of the hospital parking lot.

"Yeah, well, that's not really saying much considering almost every time they've been in the hospital and He's come it has been in Egypt," replied Joey calmly. They drove in silence for a while then Yugi spoke up again as they reached a red light.

"So what did you want to talk about?"

"The past."

"Joey, it's okay, you don't have to-"

"No, it's not okay. I left you all and didn't let you know, I worried you all and then I came back like nothing had happened and like things could be just like they used to be, no explaining required. I'm sorry."

"It's okay Joey; I forgave you a long time ago."

Joey looked over at Yugi startled and saw that Yugi too had to blink hard to keep the tears at bay. They rode in silence for a while but that was soon interrupted by the roar of an engine. A large limousine with the Egyptian flag on it flew by; both boys watched it go towards the hospital. They looked at each other and immediately Yugi did a U-turn and chased the limousine.

They arrived in the parking lot just in time to see the limo pulling away from the curb and two shawl covered Egyptians entering the building. Yugi pulled into the first parking spot he saw and together they charged up the steps to the waiting room where the rest of the gang was talking to Seto who had just returned to the room.

"What are you two doing back so soon?" asked Teà confused at their sudden appearance. Both were panting heavily so it was a while before the others could understand what Joey and Yugi were saying.

Finally one word got through to the group, "Egyptians."

With that one word of encouragement the entire group set off at a run for Heather and Carla's room. The door flew open and the cry of triumph was half way out of their lips when they realized the room was empty. Joey lunged across the room and jerked the side table open; the one that Carla had placed her phone in, it was gone. The beds were made; it was as if no one had ever been there, much less these two strange girls.

Seto was the next to act, he shoved his way out of the room and began running for the main doors where he saw four people, two girls and two Egyptians. He ran after them hoping to sneak up on them, but Carla turned around and spotted him. She smiled and winked. She then turned around and pretended to drop something in her arms, to give Seto more time to catch up.

Seto was within 20 feet of the group when Heather and the two Egyptians heard his footsteps and turned. Heather grabbed the shorter of the two strangers and shoved him in the waiting limo while the taller one grabbed the reluctant Carla and after a short and pointless struggle threw her in, dived in behind her and slammed the door. Just as Seto reached the curb the limo peeled away.

The rest of the gang came up behind Seto and watched as the limo drove away. All of a sudden a head popped put of the window. Carla waved and shouted, "I guess we'll see you all later!" A dark hand followed her out the window and grabbed Carla's hair, dragging her back inside the vehicle.

Inside the limo Carla rubbed her head and glared at the taller of the two Egyptians, "What was that for?" she asked.

"For being you," interrupted Heather.

Carla continued to glare for a second before she realized what they had forgotten, "Heather, we forgot something."

"What did you forget this time?"

"Not me, we."

"What do you me- aw, crap! Joey!"

Carla would have corrected Heather's language but she was too busy rolling back the sun roof. The two girls' heads appeared out the top of the limo and the gang stared, but Joey started to chase after them. It didn't take long for them to realize that the girls were signally for Joey to catch up and jump in.

Seto was the first to start chasing down Joey. The rest of the gang soon followed suit.

"Hurry up Joey!" screamed Heather leaning out the roof.

The car hit a red light and both girls were thrown to the front, Carla fell off the seat she was standing on and landed hard on her butt. Joey started to catch up but the light changed again. So what does he do, he jumps onto the trunk of the moving car.

Immediately, Heather grabbed his hands. She tried to pull him in through the sunroof but they started falling out.

"Don't let go!"

"I don't plan to!"

"I'm slipping!"

"No you're not!"

"Out of the car, you idiot!"

"I gotcha!"

Carla grabbed Heather's shoulders as the two-some slipped another few inches toward the pavement.

"But who's got you?!"

"Uh…"

"Great! That makes me feel better!"

With a sudden burst of strength Carla pulled both Heather and Joey into the vehicle, no actually the two Egyptians realizing the danger, it had all happened so fast, grabbed Carla and helped her haul in Heather and finally Joey. The five sat on the floor of the limo panting, Joey most of all because he had run after them.

Meanwhile the rest of the gang had continued to chase the limo watching the bizarre scene as the two girls popped out of the top of the limo. They watched as the limo hit a red light and one of the girls fell, vanishing from view. Then as Joey jumped for the extended hand as the limo took off again. They watched as the two started to fall out then as a third appeared to help, they kept falling, and finally as all three vanished into the vehicle.

The gang quit running when they reached the traffic light and Seto quickly pulled out his cell phone saying, "Roland… Pick-up…Now!!..." between gasps for air. Within seconds Seto's limo drew up and everyone dived inside.

"Follow that-" started Seto, but Yugi interrupted.

"Egyptian Embassy!"

"Excuse me, sir?"

"To the Egyptian Embassy!" Seto said realizing Yugi had a very good point; it was the only safe place they could go.

Meanwhile, in the other limo, the group was slowly climbing back into their seats and buckling up.

"Where are we headed?" Carla asked the group at large.

"Back to headquarters, where else?" replied the taller of the two Egyptians in a muffled voice.

"All right, fine, now tell me why."

"Because it is not safe for you three to be out on the streets, at least not until we find out how they knew where to find you," said the shorter of the two, his voice also muffled.

Their voices were familiar to Joey, like a long lost friend, but if that was the case, why didn't they tell him who they were, it would certainly make his life easier.

"Joey!!" Joey suddenly snapped back to reality and realized that they were all staring at him.

"What?"

"Did you hear a word of what we just said?"

"Yeah, we're going back to headquarters until we find out how they knew where we were."

"And?"

"Uh…"

"Why do I even bother," muttered Heather under her breath.

"Don't give me that-"

"Language!"

"-trash!"

"Joey," Carla took over the conversation, "We are going to go stay at headquarters for a while like you said, but we will be training and studying. You are not to leave the compound without being under our direct supervision, and we are not to leave without permission from him." Carla said nodding her head at the shorter one.

"Speaking of whom," said Joey, "Who are you anyway? Don't I at least deserve a name, then I can stop referring to you as the Big Boss."

The girls looked at each other then at the shorter man. "He has a point you know, why have you ordered us not to tell him what your name is?"

"Because, well… oh, alright." With that he took the veil off of his face revealing a dark face with features that in a millennia Joey could never forget. The dark skin and bleached hair of this man had penetrated his dreams, but it hadn't really been this man, it had been his dark alter ego that had given Yugi and himself so much grief. Then the taller man removed his veil and Joey barely dared to look for fear that it would be the tanned, scarred face of his opponent from the Battle City tournament.

"You…" said Joey quietly, vehemently, "How could it be… you?"

"I'm sorry to give you this type of shock, but I knew you wouldn't come to trust me if I told you who I was."

"Wait, you know each other?" asked Heather surprised.

"Oh yeah!" Carla cried slapping her forhead.

"What did you forget to tell me this time Carla?"

"Remember when we became interested in Duel Monsters, we watched every video we could of any tournament we could? They were all finalists in Kiaba's tournament, remember?!"

"Well now I feel stupid."

"Good thing Yugi and them didn't see who they are then, huh?"

"Yugi!! You've been in contact with Yugi!!"

"Master please calm down."

"Don't you tell me to clam down! I thought I made it perfectly clear that Joey was to have absolutely no contact with any of his old friends, for their sake as much as for our own!!"

"It wasn't my fault!" interrupted Joey.

"Then whose fault was it?!"

"That would be me," said Carla quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"It's my fault, I wanted to meet them. Joey had told me so much about them and they seemed like the type of people that we would want to be friends with so logically I set it up that we could meet and become friends. I also wanted to check in on them so that if anything ever happened I could explain and they would be more likely to believe me."

Everyone was silent.

"When did you decide this?" asked the boss quietly.

Carla didn't answer.

"When?" he asked again in a loud harsh voice.

Carla still didn't answer but Heather seemed to know.

"It was right after the accident, wasn't it?" Carla nodded and they all fell silent. Joey didn't know what Heather meant by "the accident" but he didn't feel it would be a very good idea to ask right then.

Shortly after that they pulled up to the doors of the Embassy. They all climbed out and while Joey and the tall one helped Carla and Heather out of the limo, the boss went inside and started making arrangements to leave on the next plane to Cairo.

Meanwhile, in the other limo, Seto was unlocking a special closet under one of the seats. He drew out a tranquilizer gun, and loaded it.

"Seto, why do you have that?" asked Yugi bemused.

Seto glanced up before replying, "I'd rather not have to explain that right now, suffice it to say that when you are owner and CEO of a big company you make many enemies, most of whom don't settle their disputes with a friendly game of Duel Monsters, it is just you and me that do that."

"That and the rabid fan girls," Mokuba ststed matter-of-factly. Everyone turne to stare at him for a moment before bursting out in hysterical laughter, except the Kiaba's, who knew just how true it was.

"Have you ever used that thing before?" Yugi aske once he'd calmed down.

"Yeah, once, and not very well."

"And what exactly do we hope to accomplish by knocking one of them out?"

Seto stopped what he was doing and looked up at the ceiling, "Ya know, I never really considered that." Then he looked at Yugi who sighed, took the gun away from him, and finished loading it.

"Mr. Kiaba?"

"What is it?"

"The Egyptian Embassy is just around the corner."

"Good, pull around and park on the curb, we don't want to be too conspicuous."

The group fell silent watching the gate of the embassy in hopes that for some reason the girls would come out. They were lucky. They had only been waiting for a few minutes when they saw the two girls and Joey just inside the gates. They were speaking to the two Egyptians while pulling on biking gloves and helmets. The group held their breath while they watched.

"Alright," said Carla, "We'll leave now and see the two of you later."

"Yes," said the shorter one, "We'll need to finish our work here before we join you. So don't you even think of taking any detours, do I make myself clear?"

"Damn!"

"Language!"

Heather glared at Carla, and grabbed the handles of the black motorcycle wheeling it out of the gate. Joey followed buckling on his helmet. Carla glanced at her boss one more time before following with a silver and black bike. Heather had just climbed on when there was a commotion down the street a little ways. Carla glanced that way and saw Seto jump out of his limo and aim the tranquilizer. She ducked as he pulled the trigger. Joey cried out in pain and pulled the dart out of his neck.

"GO!!" shouted Carla as she climbed on her bike.

"Come on Joey!" called Heather and she pulled him onto her bike and took off down the road. Carla followed and in a flash they were racing down the freeway with the Kiaba limo in hot pursuit.

"You two okay?" asked Carla through the radio in her helmet.

"I'm fine," came Heather's voice only a little staticy.

"What about you Joey?"

"Stupid rich boy… Kiaba… got a… lucky shot," came Joey's voice. His speech was detached and Carla saw him wobble on the bike.

"Heather! You're going to have to pull over soon and rearrange Joey. The trank hit him in an artery. He'll be out in a few more minutes."

"Where am I supposed to do that, huh?! They're still right on our tails!"

"Take the next exit, we'll split. I'll continue on the freeway. If they follow you I'll circle back and head them off. If not, then I'll meet the two of you at Tokyo International."

"Fine."

"Be careful," and with that Carla watched as Heather and Joey turned onto a crowded exit and disappeared from view.

"Mr. Kiaba? The two cycles are splitting. Which do you want me to follow?" asked Roland.

"The solo rider, we can find Wheeler anytime we want to now. Wonderful invention tracers are, aren't they?"

**Tea: **_(To Seto)_ When did you put a tracer on Joey?

**Joey: **Yeah, when did you put a tracer on me?

**Seto: **It was in the tranq.

**Joey: **So wait it's…

**Seto: **Yeah, it was inside you.

**Joey: **WHAT!?

**Seto: **I said was. Yazani got it out already _(under his breath)_ idiot.

**Joey: **_(growling)_ What was that rich boy?

**Seto: **_(calmly)_ I called you an idiot.

**Joey: **Why you…_(lunges at Seto)_

**Yazani &Kitsune: **WHAT DO YOU TWO THINK YOU'RE DOING!!_ (Yelling at Joey and Seto rolling around on the floor trying to hit each other)_

**Joey and Seto:** STAY OUT OF IT!!

**Yazani: **They didn't just tell us…

**Kitsune:** They did just tell us…

**Yazani and Kitsune: **YOU TWOOOOO!! _(lunge at the boys)_

**Joey and Seto:** _(take off to get away from the girls)_

**Yazani &Kitsune: **_(chases the boys all around the mansion, catch them and tackle them)_

**Kitsune:** Now, what were you two boys arguing about?

**Seto and Joey:** _(Glance at the girls and each other)_ Nothing.

**Kitsune: **You two never get into a fist fight for nothing, maybe for no good reason, but at there is a reason.

**Yazani:** Very true.

**Joey:** Really it's nothing.

**Kitsune:** Joey.

**Joey:** But…itwa…bu…HE STARTED IT!!

**Seto: **I didn't start anything.

**Joey: **Liar!

**Kitsune:** Will you two shut up and get along for once please.

**Joey and Seto: **Fine.

**Kitsune: **I can't leave you alone for two seconds, can I?

**Joey:** Maybe.

**Kitsune:** Come on. _(pauses looking around)_ Where'd Seto and Yazani go?

**Joey:** You don't think?

**Kitsune: **No! Do you?

**Joey:** No! Well, maybe. But they wouldn't, would they?

**Kitsune:** Well, Yazani wouldn't, but I don't know about Seto.

**Yazani:** _(whisper from behind couch)_ One.

**Kitsune:** Did you hear something?

**Seto:** _(whisper from behind couch)_ Two.

**Joey: **Sounded like Kiaba.

**Yazani &Seto: **_(yell)_ Three!! _(tackle Kitsune and Joey, jump up and take off laughing)_

**Kitsune: **They are SO dead!

**Joey:** Dibs on the rich boy!

**Kitsune and Joey:** _(go chasing after Yazani and Seto)_

**Yazani and Seto:** _(still laughing)_ You'll never catch us!

**Kitsune:** That's what you think! _(to Joey)_ Split, I'll run them straight to you.

**Joey:** _(nods)_

**Yazani and Seto: **_(run into trap)_

**Joey:** Victory!!

**Yazani:** That's what you think! _(tackles Joey, again, and takes off with Seto)_

**Kitsune:**_ (enters as Yazani and Seto leave, runs to Joey)_ Are you okay? What happened?

**Joey:** She tackled me.

**Kitsune:** Yazani?

**Joey: **Yeah.

**Kitsune:** I'm gonna kill her!

**Yazani:** That's what you think! _(jumps on Joey and Kitsune, ties them up, and drags them back to living room)_

**Kitsune:** YAZANI!! Untie us right NOW!!

**Yazani:** No! What do you think I am, stupid? You two can stay right where you are while we _(indicates everyone else)_ go out to dinner. _(turns and leads way out to limo)_


	8. The Angels of Death and Mercy

**Chapter Seven: **The Angels of Death and Mercy

'Now where are they?' Carla thought to herself as she reached gate C-7. The airport was especially crowded at this time of year what with so many families going on vacation. Then she spotted Heather dropping Joey into a chair a few feet away and went to join them.

"Did you have any trouble getting here with Joey out-of-commission?" Carla asked Heather as she sat down to wait.

"No more than usual, he was able to help just a little bit up until a little while ago, so I was able to get him up here without help. And now that you're here there shouldn't be any more problems." Heather sat down too looking around at the hundreds of other people milling around, saying hello and goodbye.

"Sure."

"Did you have any trouble getting here?" Heather asked checking her watch.

"Not really," Carla said evasively which instantly caught Heather's attention.

"What do you mean 'not really?' I wouldn't expect you to have any trouble loosing a group of amateurs in Tokyo." Heather turned to Carla, scanning her face.

"Don't forget it is their home turf, even though we have spent a lot of time here, but I think that they figured out that we might be headed to the airport, because after I lost them the first time, they found me again."

"They found you? What?"

"Anyway, I lost them, but Marik is gonna be really mad."

"Why? What happened?"

"I crashed."

"You WHAT?!" Heather blurted out and received several glances from the surrounding people.

"Keep your voice down, Heather," Carla said calmly, "It's only a minor dent to the muffler. Nothing to worry about, besides, did you really expect anything else, you and I both know that I am a klutz, and cursed."

"You are not-"

"That's our plane," Carla said standing up and stretching, "Come on, I'll help you with Joey."

Heather stood up too and they each grabbed one of Joey's arms hauling him up and carried him onto the plane destined to take them home.

--

"Great," said Ryo, "We've lost them. So now what do we do?"

Everyone looked down trying to think. Seto and Yugi looked at each other, sharing a silent conversation.

"You noticed too," Seto said quietly to Yugi.

"Yeah," Yugi responded just as quietly, "The airport then, just to make sure. It's a long shot, but maybe they didn't cover their tracks very well, what with Joey being out cold and all."

"Yeah," Seto raised his voice, "Roland, take us to Tokyo International Airport."

"Yes, sir," came Roland's voice from the driver's seat.

"Tokyo International?" Tea repeated looking at Kiaba.

"Yeah. They work for Egyptians, so logically if they needed to go someplace safe, then they would probably go to Egypt," Seto said not meeting her gaze.

"Yeah," Yugi pitched in trying to help cover for Seto, "I see what you mean."

Tea nodded but gave them each a long, hard look. They both stared straight back at her without so much as blinking and it wasn't until she had turned away that she realized what she should have noticed immediately. They had both given her the exact same look, perfectly identical as if they had been mirror images of each other. She looked back but they were both staring out the window now almost like they were avoiding eye contact, but why?

"They must be on the plane by now," Seto said, "I can't get the signal of the tracer, which means that they are out of range."

Yugi went up to the counter and returned a few minutes later.

"Cairo, Egypt," he said triumphantly. He handed Seto piece of paper. The paper said that Heather Biggs and Carla Brookey, as well as a 'John Ross' had just bought last minute tickets to Cairo.

"Well come on," Seto said leading them out of the airport. They all climbed back into the limo which took them all to the private landing strip around the corner.

"There is a small jet fuelled up and waiting to take us to Egypt," said Seto as they all climbed back out, "I can understand if you don't want to go though."

"I'm going," said Yugi firmly, "I want to know what is going on."

"Me too."

"Yeah." They agreed. They all wanted to know, although why they wanted to know was something none of them were sure of.

No one spoke while they waited to take off. They were all off in their own little worlds trying to make sense of everything that had been happening since Joey had shown up at the beginning of the week.

--

"Heather," Carla said gently shaking her shoulder, "Come on, wake up. I need you to help me with Joey, he's still out cold. Oh, and PS, we're home."

Heather opened her eyes and yawned. She felt as though she had only just fallen asleep, which was probably true, it usually took her a while to fall asleep, especially on a plane, but then again, it had been only yesterday that she had gotten shot up like, she smirked remembering Ryo's description, Swiss cheese.

Carla already had Joey unbuckled and was waiting for Heather to help. Together they carried Joey back off of the plane and into the crowded Cairo airport. They went down to baggage claim and saw Mekiahl (pronounced me-ki'll, with a long 'e' and 'i') standing off a little ways with their bags. Mekiahl was another agent they had helped a lot in the past. He had a lot of respect for them having been saved by them a fair number of times.

He stepped up and offered to take Heather's place carrying Joey. She gratefully accepted, still being half asleep, and instead pushed the cart containing three small suitcases. She followed the awkward three some to the standard issue vehicle waiting for them out side.

When they reached headquarters two other agents came out and carried Joey inside. They took him directly to his room and laid him on the bed. Mekiahl took in the bags and walked with Heather and Carla to their room. They both looked exhausted. He put down their suitcases on the couch in the room they shared and left without a word.

The girls sat down on the twin beds looking at each other. After a minute Carla spoke.

"You look dead on your feet, get some sleep."

"What about you?"

"I'm gonna go down to the lab and see if I can't whip up something to help get that tranq out of Joey's system faster. Plus I think that there might have been a tracking device in the tranq, so…" she trailed off with a shrug.

"I can help-"

"No," Carla said firmly, "You get some rest, besides, it's my lab. I claimed it. I make you weapons and you stay out of the lab, remember?"

"Oh, all right," Heather said yawning, "See you in the morning."

"Yeah, see you," Carla replied.

Heather awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee. Carla was leaning over her bed waving a cup of the stuff under her nose. Heather sat up grabbing the cup and taking a sip before asking, "What do you want Carla?"

"I need you to hold Joey down while I give him this," Carla replied holding up a very large, unpleasant looking needle.

"Fine," Heather said and followed Carla out of their room and down the hall to Joey's.

"You might want to put your coffee down for this," Carla said.

"Fine."

Heather put the coffee on the desk by the bed before taking up her position to hold Joey down. Carla waited until Heather had a firm hold on his arms before inserting the needle and injecting the liquid. For a moment nothing happened and then Joey began thrashing around. It lasted for only a few seconds, but it nearly threw both girls across the room.

"What was in that?!" Heather asked panting.

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," Carla responded evasively, "Don't worry, he'll be up within the hour. Come on, since you're up, we might as well go get some breakfast before they run out of the good slop that's only a couple weeks old instead of a couple years."

They were on their way down to the cafeteria on the ground floor when they heard a disturbance coming from the lobby. They stopped dead in the entrance. There, in the middle of UCSO headquarters, stood Yugi, Seto, and the whole gang. They were arguing loudly with the receptionist demanding to speak to who ever was in charge. She was trying to tell them that they really couldn't speak to him because he was much too busy when Seto turned away from her in frustration and his eyes locked with the girls'.

All three stood there frozen until Yugi noticed them too and called out to the girls breaking the spell. The girls took off up the stairs with the gang in hot pursuit. They barged into the boss's office and slammed the door shut behind them. Carla quickly locked the door as Heather dove behind the desk ignoring the boss who was staring at them wondering what in the world was going on.

It wasn't until both girls were under his desk that he asked in a loud voice, "What do you two think you're doing?!"

"Shhh!!" Carla shushed him, "We can't let them find us."

"Can't let who-" but he was cut off by banging on his door. He got up to go open it, but Carla grabbed the bottom of his robe.

"Don't open the door," Heather said.

"But who-"

"It's Yugi and them," Carla answered quietly, "They found us, I think they must have put a tracer on, or in, Joey."

"Yugi!" he almost yelled, and the banging paused. He too dove under the desk.

"Shhh!!"

They listened silently to the banging which was now accompanied by yells of, "We know you're in there! Let us in!" and "Don't make me break this door down!"

The gang continued yelling for a couple minutes until a familiar voice made them all spin around.

"What do you think you're doing banging on that door?" asked a female voice behind them all in the hall. They spun around and came face to face with Ishizu Ishtar.

"Ishizu?!" said Yugi in surprise.

"Yugi?!" Ishizu too was shocked at running into them, but even more so because she knew who's office door they were pounding on.

"Ishizu, what are you doing here?" Yugi asked stepping forward.

"I work here," Ishizu replied, "Now what are all of you doing here?"

"Well, we're, uh…" Yugi began noncommittally.

"We're looking for Heather Biggs and Carla Brookey," Seto stepped in, "They work for the UCSO."

"Huh? How did you all find out about the UCSO? And better yet, how do you know Heather and Carla?"

"So you know what's going on here?"

"Not really, I am the liaison between the UCSO and the Egyptian government, nothing more. Here," Ishizu said stepping up to the door and pulling out a key, "I'll make sure everything is explained." Ishizu opened the door and the gang followed her into the office.

"Drat!" came a whisper from under the desk.

"Well boss, explanations are your job."

"I am not going out there! They'll rip me to pieces!"

"Well, I'm not going."

"Fine, I'll go, get out of the way."

"Ow."

"Careful."

"OW!"

"Move!" A couple thuds and then Carla stood up behind the desk.

"Hi guys," she said smiling, "Can I help you?"

"Carla," Ishizu said nodding, "What's going on? Why are they here and why are you all under the desk?"

"What's going on? - We're hiding. Why are they here? - They want an explanation. Why are we all under the desk? - I repeat, we're hiding. If you will all sit down I will gladly explain everything, but first I had better go get…Joey!"

Joey was standing frozen in the doorway. He looked around the room as if he couldn't really believe that they were all there.

"Come on in Joey," Carla said gently, "I am finally being aloud to tell you all the truth. Come on Heather, you might as well come out too."

"I am not leaving this spot," came Heather's voice from under the desk.

"Okay, suit yourself, but this could take a while. Please sit down," Carla said again looking up to see that no one had moved, "There are two couches and several comfortable chairs scattered around the room. It's like I told Heather, this could take a while."

She waited until the gang and Ishizu had all sat down.

"Joey, why don't you sit with your sister? Don't worry; I'll do all the talking."

Joey came in and sat down by Serenity who immediately grabbed her big brother's hand.

"That's better. Now, where should I start?"

"How about with what in the world you are doing here?"

"We've already explained that. Heather and I are the second in command of the UCSO. Joey is our personal agent; he takes orders only from us and the boss. He's very good," she said to Serenity, "You should be very proud of him."

Serenity nodded.

"Next question?"

"Who's your boss?"

"Drat, I was hoping I wouldn't have to answer that one yet, but oh-well. Come on out Marik."

"MARIK!!"

Marik crawled out from under the desk and stood up avoiding eye contact.

"Oh come off it. There is no reason for us to not tell them. They would have figured it out eventually anyway."

"Did you know about this?" Serenity asked her brother.

"Not until, was it yesterday?" He asked. Carla nodded.

"The plot thickens," Carla said, "What?! I was just trying to lighten the mood. Oh come off it people. It's really not that hard to understand. Marik is in charge of the UCSO. Heather and I are second in command, Joey is a specialized field agent, and Ishizu is our own personal liaison with the government. What's the big d-" but she was cut off by an alarm sounding throughout the building.

Everyone jumped up looking around. In an instant Carla had her head stuck out the door and was calling down the hall, "Johnson! What's going on?"

There came a muffled reply and Carla spun back around clearly shaken.

"What is it?" Heather asked. She had come out from under the desk now.

"Johnson says there is an intruder down on third floor and he's got a bomb. Come on. Joey, stay here and guard your friends. Marik, lock the doors." With that both girls took off down the hall.

Marik had all three doors locked before the sound of their feet pounding down the hall had faded.

"Darn it," said Joey stepping up to the locked door, "I should be out there helping them."

"Don't worry Joey," said Marik soothingly, "You and I both know perfectly well that the Angels of Death and Mercy can handle themselves."

Yugi and Seto jumped at the name. Marik noticed their reaction and turned to look at them.

"Joey," he said still watching them, "Perhaps you had better ask your friends what they know about the Angels of Death and Mercy."

Joey turned around confused at first until he saw how Marik was looking at Yugi and Kiaba and how they were looking back, completely blank faced. Not confused blank, but rather not revealing any secrets blank.

"Yugi," Joey began, "How is it that you recognize those names?"

Yugi turned that same blank look on Joey and Joey returned it without a problem. After a moment Yugi sighed and closed his eyes. He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and was about to pull something out when Seto's hand grabbed his stopping him.

"No Yugi," Seto said holding his arm.

"Why not?" Yugi demanded stubbornly, "They've been honest with us; we might as well be honest with them."

"No," Seto said refusing to let go.

"Seto," Yugi said calmly, "If you do not let go of my wrist, I will be forced to break your arm. You know that I can."

They stood staring at each other for a very long moment before Yugi's other hand shot out at Seto's face. Seto dodged it and in a moment they were both on the floor kicking and punching each trying to get the advantage. In an instant every other male in the room was helping to pull the two apart. Tristan, Duke, and Marik were holding Kiaba back while Joey, Ryo, and Mokuba held onto Yugi. A moment later there was a loud crash outside the door and then Carla's voice yelling at them to let her in.

Ishizu opened the door and Carla barged in. She went straight to the window throwing it open and chucking the package she was holding as hard as she could before dropping to her knees and covering her ears yelling "GET DOWN!!"

The bomb exploded in mid air. As soon as it had Carla rushed back out into the hall slamming the door shut again behind her. There was silence in the room for a while until the door flew open again and a strange man was standing there with an AK 47. Joey was closest and got to the man first. He knocked the arm holding gun up into the air and followed up with a hard punch to the man's abdomen. The man staggered back out into the hall where he was tackled from each side. Carla grabbing his feet and Heather his gun arm. The man struggled and the gun went off accidentally. Carla gave a mighty tug and the man's feet flew out from underneath him. He landed on his face. Carla holding his feet while Heather knocked the gun out of his hand and cuffed his arms behind him. Still he struggled. Heather was thrown off and he was up on his knees when Joey's foot connected with the man's head. He went down and this time he stayed down.

Heather got up and came over. She checked the man's pockets for other weapons before standing up and calling down the hall.

"Okay Johnson, he's all yours now."

"Hey Heather," came Carla's voice from down by the man's feet, "Could you give me a hand, I can't seem to figure out which way is up." Heather went over and helped Carla to get untangled form the man's legs. She helped her up and together they went back into Marik's office. Joey followed closing the door.

Carla collapsed face-down on one of the couches with a groan.

"Great," she said sarcastically, "Now I'm twice as sore, exhausted from lack of sleep and this fight, and I'm hungry."

"Well," Heather said as she sat down in a chair, "It's your own fault for staying up all night."

"No it's not," Carla said sitting up, "It's his fault," She pointed at Seto, "He's the one who hit Joey with the tranq."

"You could have waited until morning."

"And then Joey wouldn't have been awake to save our butts just now, now would he?"

"No I guess not."

"Anyway, that's not my point right now. I am trying to say that I want food and an ibuprofen."

"I'll call the cafeteria," said Marik taking his seat behind the desk. He opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle of pills and some water. "Here," he said tossing it to Carla.

"Thank you, you're wonderful," Carla said downing two pills before handing the bottle and water to Heather who also took a couple.

"Same," Heather said handing the stuff back, "Except for the wonderful part."

"You're welcome."

While Marik put in a call to the cafeteria Carla noticed that Tristan and Duke were still holding Seto's arms and Ryo and Mokuba were doing the same to Yugi. She looked at Heather and then back at the group with a bemused look.

"What did we miss?"

"Not much," Marik said hanging up the phone, "Yugi and Kiaba were just about to explain how they became familiar with the names 'the Angels of Death and Mercy.'"

"Well Kiaba" said Joey. Seto looked out the window.

"Yugi?" Carla asked.

"Seto-and-I-were-trained-by-Interpol," Yugi said before Seto could so much as open his mouth.

Everyone gapped, except Carla who began to laugh.

"Well that explains a lot," she said still laughing, "So," she continued looking at Yugi and Seto, "Are you very surprised to learn that contrary to popular belief the Angels of Death and Mercy are girls, not guys."

"Well, yeah, a little, but we never really believed they were guys because what kind of guys would call themselves Angels?"

"Good point."

"So, you two are really…" Yugi trailed off.

"She's Death," Carla said nodding to Heather, "And I'm Mercy. If you don't believe me just ask Johnson. It was partially his idea to call us that."

The gang continued to stare, Seto most of all. How could these two be the legendary agents?! They were such goofballs, for lack of a better word. Or at least Carla was, Heather not so much.

"Are there any other questions you would like us to answer?" Carla asked, "Or can I go to bed?"

"I've got a question for you," Heather said, there was a familiar bite in her voice and Carla could guess what the question was, "Why are you doing this?!"

"Because they are our friends and have a right to know."

"They're not my friends."

"Yeah, that's right, because you don't need any friends, 'cause you're complete in and of yourself, aren't you?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. Please tell me."

"Why are you getting them involved?!"

"Because they're our friends, and we have no right to worry them."

"Then why did you make friends with them in the first place?! You know that no one is safe around us! You and I both know that he'll try to go through them to get to us!"

"Who, Tommy?"

"Yes Tommy! He'll kill them just like he did…before."

"I won't let that happen again, never again."

"You can't stop him! He'll kill them and he'll keep killing until he kills us! Or we kill him! You know that! You can't deny that!"

"I don't deny it. But should that stop us from trying to lead a normal life?"

"We are not normal!"

"Not yet, but we will be. You'll see. We'll stop him. It'll be over soon."

"Don't say that! Every time you say that it lasts another year. It's never-ending! And you just keep bringing more and more people into it! You keep putting more lives in danger! You say they're your friends, but you put them in harm's way, in his way!"

"Well what do you want me to do?!"

"I want you to stop bringing them into it. Let them live their lives. Keep us out of it."

"Easier said than done."

"Look, I admit there are some people who bring themselves into it. But we honestly have too much baggage."

"So maybe we should just get over it," Carla muttered.

"Just get over it!! I can't believe that you just said that!!"

"You know what I mean."

"No I don't and I don't want to!"

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"See ya later," Carla said as she left out the side door.

"Whatever," Heather said storming out the main door leaving the room shocked and silent behind her.

Marik was the first to react. He sighed and sat down behind his desk. "I'm sorry you all had to see that. Joey could you go check on Heather please, I don't want her taking off again."

Joey nodded and left the room.

"Ishizu," Marik continued, "Would you go check on Carla?"

"That won't be necessary," came a voice from the door, it was Odion.

"What do you mean?" asked Marik worried.

"She's gone to her lab and locked herself in. You know no one's allowed in there, and you can attest to why."

"Quit reminding me," Marik muttered.

"It took, what, three months for your eyebrows to grow back and for you to stop avoiding anything that looked like lemonade?"

"Odion. Shut up," Marik said with a pained expression on his face.

"Uh, lemonade?" asked Mokuba.

"It was on a cafeteria tray. How was I supposed to know it was explosive?!"

"Ahh, I remember the day well," said Ishizu in a teasing tone of voice, "Very interesting conversation the two of you had after that. Although it wasn't much of a conversation what with you twitching and her yelling, but you learned your lesson didn't you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I learned my lesson, that's why we had the emergency phone put in her lab. Now if you don't mind," Marik continued glaring at Odion and Ishizu, "I need to figure out what to do with these guys."

He surveyed the group in his office. He sat back down sighing.

"I guess there's no choice really. You'll all have to stay here, for a while at least. Odion, can you call down and have Johnson get rooms set up for them please. Ishizu, what kind of paper work do I have to fill out for this to be okay?"

"Um," she said as she got up, went over to a filing cabinet and flipped rapidly through the files before pulling out several sheets of paper which she tossed on his desk, "These."

Marik sighed and began to fill out the papers with a speed that was almost illegal. He had finished by the time Odion returned.

"Rooms have been set up on levels three and four; rooms 314, 328, 340, 421, and 472. Shall I take them up there, or do you want to?"

"You'd better do it. Jonez should be getting back soon and I'll need to hear what he has to say, before he forgets anything," Marik looked at the friends he had not seen since the Pharaoh had first returned, "If you'll all go with Odion, he'll show you to the rooms you'll be using until we can ensure that no one thinks you have anything to do with the UCSO and then I can let you all go home, but until then I'll have to ask you all to stay inside the building. You are free to look around. If you need anything let Odion, Ishizu or myself know and we'll do our best to help. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to do." He went back to what he had been doing before his two top agents had barged into his office and hid under his desk.

"Follow me please," Odion said leaving the room. One by one the gang followed him, "I'm sorry about all this." He told them as they went down the stairs to the fourth floor.

"What are you apologizing for?" asked Kiaba, "It's not you fault, it's Carla and Heather's."

"They gave you their real names huh?"

"What do you mean their real names?"

"They rarely use the names Heather and Carla because those are the closest things to real names they have. It was actually the names given to them by the enemy. Heather Ranay Biggs and Carla Michelle Brookey. They call each other K and Y. Don't know why. Maybe you all can find out."

"Wait," Yugi interrupted, "What do you mean? You want us to spy on them or something?"

"No. Our theory is that if they were willing to give you the closest thing to real names they have they might be willing to tell you more. Parts of their history are a mystery to us too."

"Such as what?" Tea asked.

"Well, they came to us. Maybe you can find out how they came to know of the UCSO, or really anything. Joey has been on this case since he first joined up. He hasn't been able to get much out of them. They changed so much after the accident."

"What accident?" asked Mokuba.

"I'm not at liberty to say. Sorry I shouldn't have said anything about it. It's just been so long since I've seen you all. I guess I just forget that there are things I cannot tell you all. Here we are. Kiaba, room 421 is yours. Bakura you're just down the hall in 472. You never need a key to get in; the rooms can only be locked from the inside. After I show you all your rooms, I'll take you down to the cafeteria."

The group continued down to the third floor where the others were assigned their rooms. On the second floor they went to the cafeteria. The group took a large table in a corner of the room and talked.

--

"Heather, let me in, please," Joey said through the door for about the hundredth time, "You know I won't leave until you let me in."

"Go away," came a voice through the door.

"No."

"Go away Joey."

"No."

"Now Joey."

"No."

"You sound like a broken record."

"What's your point?"

"Leave me alone."

"I've been ordered to keep my eye on you, besides, I'm worried about you."

"Fine, whatever. Come in. If you have to."

Joey stood back and opened the door. Heather was lying on her bed. Her back was to the door and she didn't move.

"What's wrong?"

"None of your business."

"Does this have something to do with those things I'm not supposed to ask you about?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Carla told me there were things I wasn't supposed to ask you about because she was afraid that you couldn't handle talking about it."

"Such as?"

"How it is you came to know so much about Tommy."

"We used to be his top agents," Heather said bluntly.

"What?!"

"Carla and I were raised by Tommy to be his second-in-command. HE taught us everything we know, except who the real bad guys are."

"But you were working for the UCSO when you were senior? How-?"

"He kidnapped us when we were very young. We don't know what our real names are. We don't know if we have family out there anywhere or if we were orphans or what. When we were eight, he sent us out on our first assassination mission. We couldn't do it. He took us back and trained us more. We were sent out again later to kill a rival crime boss and had no trouble pulling the trigger. Then when we were seventeen we were sent to kill the former head honcho of the UCSO. He recruited us and we've worked for this side ever since. At first we made good spies, but then Tommy found out and every agent he has was ordered to kill us on sight. Most don't, obviously, but still."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?" Joey asked as he sat down on the foot of Carla's bed.

Heather shrugged, "It was on a need-to-know basis, and frankly, you didn't need to know."

"Since you're being honest with me, will you tell me what 'the accident' was?"

"No."

"Okay. Wanna go for a walk, maybe torture the newbies?"

"Food first, it's nearly noon and I haven't eaten since I had those peanuts on the plane."

"Sure." Joey got up and followed Heather out of the room and down to the second floor. They walked into the cafeteria side by side and froze.

"What the hell?!" Heather said staring at the newly rearranged cafeteria.

"Yeah."

"We're gone for, what, a week and they completely redecorate?! Odion!" She called out spotting him in the back corner with the rest of the gang. "What is going on?! What happened to all the inedible slop?!"

"Marik finally ate the cafeteria food and was sick for about an hour, so he had the whole place fixed up," Odion replied patiently as Heather and Joey came over to the table. "Feeling better?" he asked turning back to his food.

"None of you business," Heather responded.

"Course not," Odion said quietly, "Are you going to eat with us or are you still too mad?"

"Get me a chair, I'll be right back," she replied gabbing Joey by the sleeve and dragging him back to the line. She piled food onto her plate as if she hadn't eaten for a day, which, she reminded herself, she hadn't. Joey too piled his tray high.

They went back to the large table in the corner where the entire gang was sitting. Ishizu had just joined them as Heather and Joey sat down. The other people in the cafeteria stared. They had never seen the Angel of Death eat with anyone but the Angel of Mercy, Joey, and the Ishtars. But she particularly avoided new people so this was a shock. She ate quickly and stood up to leave.

"You comin' Joey," she asked and he obediently stood up.

"I'll talk to ya later sis," he said as he followed Heather out of the cafeteria. They went down to the grounds and just walked around. They didn't talk much. She would never admit it, but Heather enjoyed having Joey around. He knew when to talk, when to listen and when to just deal with the silence. 'It reminds me of…no. No, I can't think of…I…Calm down.' She told herself firmly and the hard mask replaced itself on her face.

--

'What do I do? K is right, but she's wrong too. I shouldn't get people involved, but I can't hold it all in and she doesn't listen like she used to. I'm sure she'd listen if I actually told her, but I promised myself I wouldn't bother her anymore. I can take care of myself, I have to. When this is all over, when we get Tommy, she'll go away. I'll be alone and then I'll have to take care of myself, no matter what.' Carla was in her lab the lights were dim as she played with a new concoction that would make K a very happy little hunter. She focused on she what she was doing. One wrong move, one little spill and the whole room could go up in flames. K would definitely kill her then. Kill her for leaving her alone, but Joey would be there to comfort her just like she had been there after the accident. 'Drattit! I did it again! Wait, wait just a second, let me put this stuff away…' Carla rushed to put the powder away. She was a little less careful than she should have been and a little of the stuff fell on the floor. Carla didn't notice, the tears were already gathering. She blinked hard trying to keep the tears back. She took a step back and her foot came down on the powder she had dropped. It exploded. Carla was thrown back. She landed under the emergency shower and immediately pulled the cord. She took her shoe off and was once again grateful for the thick leather boots that had saved her so many times. She turned the shower off but didn't move. She sat in the dark corner of the lab, her clothes soaked clear through, and a few tears rolling down her cheeks. She waited several minutes before standing up and going to the closet for a change of cloths.

'Of all the stupid, idiotic, dumb, could have killed myself…Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing…I mean, Heather wouldn't be mad at me, I wouldn't have to deal with Tommy and I'd be with…' Carla changed and sat down at her desk. She pulled out a photo and smiled remembering the picnic it had been taken during. There was Heather looking as happy as she'd ever been, smiling, laughing, truly happy. 'So was I. I was happy. We all were, but then He had to ruin it. He had to ruin our lives again. He took them away from us, forever. I'll kill Him…no I won't, but K will.'

Carla kissed the photo and placed it on the top of the desk. She was just about to go back to her powder, but the emergency phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello!...I'm on my way," She threw the phone down and raced out of her lab taking care to lock the door behind herself.

"Drattit!" She yelled as she charged up the stairs to Marik's office. She knocked on the door and flew through it in one fluid motion. Heather was already there with Odion. Judging by the light outside, it was still early morning. Carla locked the door behind herself and went over to the desk.

She slammed her hands down on the desk behind which Odion was sitting before almost yelling at him, "What do you mean Marik's been captured?!"

**Kitsune:** How do you do that?

**Yazani:** Do what?

**Kitsune:** Know what we are thinking?!

**Yazani:** Well-

**Seto:** _(loudly)_ What the hell-

**Yazani:** Language.

**Seto:** -about?!

**Yazani:** What?

**Seto:** "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea" to die!! What the hell-

**Yazani:** Language.

**Seto:** -thinking?!

**Yazani: **_(Calmly)_ Does it matter? Everyone thinks about death at one time or another. I have, Kitsune has, Yugi has-

**Tea: **_(shocked, to Yugi)_ What? You-

**Yugi:** _(shrugging)_ It's like Yazani said. We all think about it some time in our lives. But it's no big deal. I doubt I'd have the guts to go through with it. I mean seriously, how many of us would?

**Everyone:** _(looks aroud)_

**Kitsune:** _(raises hand)_

**Yazani:** You would not. You tried, remember. Many times, but you could never go through with it.

**Kitsune:** Yeah, because I had you to worry about.

**Yazani: **Yeah right. If you had been really determined then you would not have worried about me. Anyway that's not the point. The point is that we are all here, none of us are six feet under.

**Kitsune:** _(mutters)_ Not that we haven't come close.

**Yazani:** Good point. But more often than not, it wasn't our fault. We don't go looking for trouble, trouble just finds us. I wish I knew why, then we could ask it to go chase someone else. Anyway, doesn't matter. So I'm gonna go to bed now.

**Yugi:** Huh?

**Yazani:** _(shocked)_ Do you realize what time it is?!

**Everyone:**_(shakes head)_

**Yazani:** _(exasperated)_ It's three o'clock in the morning people! I don't know about all of you, but I for one have things I have to do tomorrow, like WORK!!

**Seto:** What?!

**Yazani:** House-work, sheesh,_ (mutters)_ over react much?

**Kitsune:** Seriously Yazani, how do you know so much? You weren't there, and you can't read our minds. So how do write what we were thinking?

**Yazani: **_(yawning)_ It's like I said before, I know you, better than you know yourselves sometimes. _(pleading)_ Now can I please go to bed? Besides, I'm loosing my voice, if you want me to finish our story then you are going to have to let me rest.

**Tea:** Yeah, we should all go to bed.

**Yazani:** _(standing up)_ Good. Then I'll see you all here tomorrow night at six to continue.

**Every one:** Sure…Yeah….Whatever…

**Everyone:** _(heads home to bed)_


	9. Rescue Mission

**Chapter Eight:** Rescue Mission

"What do you mean Marik's been captured?!"

"I mean that he's been captured," Odion said calmly, "I don't know who, but I can take a good guess."

"What happened?" Heather asked, also calm.

"He went for coffee at the new Starbucks around the corner and didn't come back. I went to look for him and couldn't find him. I sent out feelers to see if I could find out where he could be. I didn't get anything useful back so I did some foot work myself. Believe it or not, a Starbucks employee told me that he got into a car with a man fitting the description you two gave us of Tommy."

Carla sat down and Heather jumped up.

"What?!" Heather shouted. "Tommy's here. In Egypt! And he went for coffee down the street from the main headquarters of the agency out to kill him and no one noticed!!"

"You both know that we don't post many agents near headquarters in an attempt to keep its location secret and also to prevent a blood bath where innocent civilians could be hurt."

"It's Starbucks! You couldn't have assigned one agent to Starbucks! Agents would be lining up around the block to volunteer for that position!!"

"Listen to me!" Odion's voice quieted, "I think I may know where Tommy took Marik, but I can't send in a million agents just in case I'm wrong. We don't want this whole thing to blow up in our faces. I'm sending the two of you. Alone. No backup at all, not even Joey. If you get the chance, and this is completely off the record, but if you get the chance, don't give Tommy another chance to slip out of our grasp, if you have to, kill him."

Heather's eyes lit up with the idea that she didn't have to go through all the red tape to get rid of the man who had ruined her life time after time. She began to leave. When she reached the door she turned back and saluted before going to her room. She opened her underwear drawer and dug to the secret compartment in the bottom. The opened it up and pulled out several of her personal and favorite guns. She again read the label she had plastered to the back of the compartment.

"This is my rifle…These are my guns…This is for work…These are for fun."

A few minutes later Heather had joined Carla at the main doors.

"Shall we stop off at the scene of the crime before we head out?" Heather asked in an innocent voice.

"You just want coffee."

"So?"

"Fine," said Carla putting on her hat, "But let's be quick about it. We don't want him to get away with Marik."

Heather gave her a look that clearly said "Maybe you don't."

"Okay, so maybe you do want Marik gone, but I don't think you want Tommy to get away. Now let's go."

"Hey, Johnson!" Joey called out to the man just leaving the cafeteria.

"What?!" Johnson called back irritated. He had too much to do without having to deal with Death and Mercy's little pet.

"You seen Death?" Joey asked heading over to him.

"No, I haven't, but if I do, I'll let you know," he said and stalked out of the room.

"Jeez, what's his problem?" Joey muttered under his breath, "You'd think I was bugging him." Joey let out a sigh as he left the cafeteria and made his way to the stairs that led up to Marik's office on the top floor. It was still weird to think of it as Marik's office. He knocked on the office door and heard Odion's voice calling out, "Come on in."

"Hey Odion," Joey said, he had no real issues with his former enemy, but he was still surprised that Marik had turned out okay, "Where's Marik?" Joey asked confused. The white-haired man was conspicuously absent from his own office.

"Out," Odion answered simply.

Joey raised an eyebrow even more confused. "The Big Boss goes out? Wow. What a strange concept."

Now it was Odion's turn to look confused, "The Big Boss?"

"Well, he never gave me a name, what was I supposed to call him?"

"Good point." Odion went back to the reports on the desk.

"You seem to know where everyone is at all times," Joey said after a moment, "Any idea where Death is?"

"Out," he replied again, this time without looking up from the papers he was trying to sort.

"Out," Joey repeated, "Just out. No where, no why."

Odion pulled a list out of the drawer with a sigh. "'Death and Mercy have taken me shopping. Signed, Marik. P.S. Save me. Please. I think they said something about lingerie.' That's all I found when I came up here. It happens. They're evil like that you know."

"Good point. Okay, I'm gonna go talk to my sister, since Death's not here to tell me to go run laps."

"Good idea."

Joey left the office and went in search of the gang. It didn't take too long to find them. They were all in the cafeteria, sitting at a big round table in the corner.

"Hey," he said coming up behind Yugi. Yugi turned to see him before moving over so he could pull up a chair and join them. Joey sat down and Seto stood.

"Seto," Yugi said in demanding voice, "Sit."

Seto froze, shocked by Yugi's tone.

"Now."

Seto sat. Everyone stared at Yugi. They had never heard him use that tone of voice before.

"Now, can we all just get along," he asked the table at large in exasperation. No one answered. He glared around the table once, daring anyone to contradict him before he gave them all a smile they had not seen in years, "That's better."

Everyone was silent until Joey started laughing. He tried to suppress it but failed entirely. It felt so good to laugh. And it was just so damn funny. He tried to stop, but everyone was staring at him with a shocked look and he just ended up laughing even harder. When he finally had himself under control again, he looked at his friends who were waiting impatiently for an explanation.

"Sorry," he told them, still smiling, "It's just that, I used to spend so much time wondering what it would be like if all of you were here, well, all but you Rich Boy, and what I'd say, and none of them were anything like this. Besides, it's just so darn funny."

"What's so funny? What was so different? Joey, you're not making any sense," Yugi said impatiently.

"I'm not exactly sure what was so funny, but one difference was that Heather and Carla would be here to explain. Which I suppose, technically, they already did. And Marik, Ra, there's a shocker, I was expecting someone more, I don't know, someone else is all. And of all the stupid, he's not here right now either 'cause he's gone with…Death…and Mercy…to…DAMN IT!!" Joey jumped up and bolted back out of the cafeteria.

Yugi followed after a second, and so did the rest of the gang. They followed Joey up to the top floor. They had just entered the hall when they heard Joey yelling from within Marik's office, "WHERE IS DEATH?!"

They reached the doorway just in time to hear Odion's answer, "I already told you Joey, Death and Mercy are with Marik. Shopping."

"Mm-hmm, for lingerie. Yeah right. Now where are they really?"

"Do I need to call them?"

"Yes."

Odion sighed and hit the speed dial after a moment, Carla answered.

"What do you need Odion?" Carla's voice came through the speaker.

"Joey here doesn't believe me when I tell him that you, Death, and Marik are lingerie shopping," Odion told her calmly.

"Joey, we're lingerie shopping, isn't that right Death?" She called a little louder.

"The pink or the black, do you think?" They heard Heather's voice coming through too.

"How about the topaz, it matches his eyes," Carla responded after a moment of thought.

"Good idea."

"Do you believe Odion now Joey?"

"Yeah, I guess so. But of all the stupid, why lingerie?"

"Don't ask me. It was Heather's idea. Anyway, gotta go, she just spotted lace. Bye." With that she hung up. Odion hung up too and stared at Joey with a look that very clearly read, "Now would you please get out of here, so I can get some work done?"

"Sorry Odion," Joey said looking out the window, "I'll leave you alone now."

He turned and headed back out of the office. Yugi and the gang were waiting for him outside.

"What was that about?" asked Tristan.

"Carla, Heather, and Marik are all out shopping, for lingerie apparently," Joey replied, still a little unbelieving.

"Lingerie?" asked Mokuba also doubtful.

"Yeah. Ah well, as long as they're gone, I'm free to do whatever I want. You guys want a tour of the facilities or something?"

"Sure."

"Sounds great!"

"Why not?"

"Whatever."

"No one said you had to come Rich Boy," Joey said mockingly; he was surprised to note that he was actually enjoying the rivalry with Kiaba. 'Never thought I'd miss this,' he thought to himself.

Kiaba just glared, but followed anyway when Joey led the way down to the basement for the beginning of the tour.

"So we're lingerie shopping," Carla stated.

"Cool," Heather said putting her helmet on the bike handle.

"You're enjoying this thought way too much," Carla followed her toward the front of the coffee shop.

They walked through the front door and froze.

"What is this, a bad guy union coffee break?!" Heather asked the room at large as she pulled out her guns.

The entire shop was filled with Tommy's agents, known agents on the UCSO list. They all froze too.

"Nobody move!" Carla warned them, but one little punk stood up, hands in his pocket.

"Why should we, we've got you outnumbered and out gunned?!" He sneered, looking at the girls with a raised eyebrow.

"You, kid, have no idea who you're messing with," Heather told him calmly.

"Oh, really? I see a couple of gangly little girls with toy guns."

"Kid, you're talking to the Angels of Death and Mercy."

"Sure, and I'm Tommy the Gun," the boy said using Tommy's full mob name.

"Wow!" Carla's voice was mocking, "You've gotten short Tommy. Did you change your mind and finally realize that you need to dye your hair because you're too recognizable? Death."

"What, Mercy?"

"Why don't you start your interrogation with this punk here? He seems rarin' to go."

"You're really gonna let me?"

"Why not? Since I'm clearly not Mercy, I shouldn't care what happens to him, should I?"

Heather smiled evilly and took a step towards the boy. But the man next to him stood too and placed himself between Heather and the boy.

"Sit down, kid," the man said in a low voice, "They're Death and Mercy."

The kid looked at the man and fear flooded him face. He collapsed back into his chair.

"So does that mean that you wan to go first?" asked Heather.

"Yeah. You'd never be able to get anything out of them anyway. They've all been with Tommy less than a year," he pulled his hands out of his jacket and placed both his guns on the table before stepping forward.

Heather moved out of the way and let him lead the way into a back room.

"Who are you?" Heather asked once they were in the back and out of earshot.

"I'm A. Wolf," the man said patiently.

"No, you're not. Wolf is in prison in the US."

"Not Wolf. A. Wolf," he said again, stressing the initial.

"A. Wolf?" Heather asked shocked, "So you're-?"

"Yeah, I lead the Wolves, the resistance within Tommy's gang."

"Where is he?"

"He's taken you're boss to his hideout at the Sari Oasis. Tommy's not there though, he's already left, although I am not sure exactly where he went. I heard him say he was going to Villa Franka, but I've never heard of any such place."

"Neither have I. You're telling me the truth?" Heather asked not sure whether she should believe him or not.

"Yes. If you don't believe me, here's my proof," he reached up and pulled down his collar to reveal a small 'X' scar on his sternum.

"'What he has taken, we shall retrieve.'" Heather said quietly.

"'As the fates will.'" He replied returning the greeting of the Wolves.

"How new are those kids in there?"

"They haven't been initiated yet. This was supposed to be their initiation. They're clean."

"They're all gonna have to go to jail anyway, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know. I also know you gotta beat me, otherwise our cover will be blown."

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

Heather hit him. Again and again and again. Finally it looked good enough to pass. He leaned on her as they went back out into the front of the shop. She dumped him in a nearby chair.

In the meantime, Carla had shut all the blinds and spaced her prisoners out so she could cover them all at once.

"I'm calling them in," Heather told her partner.

Carla nodded. A while later, all of Tommy's agents had been arrested and were heading off to jail. By the time the last agent had been booked, Heather and Carla were sneaking into Sari Oasis.

They had no trouble at all sneaking past the guards; no one was as good as them. They had found Marik before anyone knew they were even on the premises. They had just gotten him untied when the alarm went off.

"Keep your mouth shut and your head down," Heather told Marik firmly. She turned and began leading the way out of the compound. Marik followed her and Carla brought up the rear. They had a couple of close calls but managed to get out without being caught. They had just entered Cairo when Heather spotted a Victoria Secret and pulled over.

"What are you doing?" Marik asked glaring at the shop suspiciously.

"Shopping."

"Why?"

"Because Odion called. The cover story for your being gone is that we kidnapped you and took you lingerie shopping. So now we have to fill in our cover."

"I am not going in there," Marik told them firmly.

"Oh yes you are," Carla said in his ear as she pulled his arms behind him and cuffed them.

Marik opened his mouth to yell at her, but Heather took that opportunity to tape his mouth shut. The two girls took his arms and dragged him into the shop.

Half an hour later, they left carrying ten bags all filled with lace and other fun stuff.

They parked their cycles in front of the UCSO building, forcing Marik to enter via the main door. As they were grabbing the bags they heard a little boy across the street ask his mother, "Mommy, why is that man tied up?"

"It's called marriage, son," the mother replied.

"But why are there two ladies?"

"One of them must be the sister."

Heather and Carla laughed as they walked into the building and came face to face with Joey and the gang. They were staring in shock at the Victoria Secret bags and the girls only laughed harder. Carla took off the handcuffs and Marik ripped off the tape glaring at Yugi and the others.

"What?!" He asked angrily.

"Okay," Joey said ignoring Marik and talking to Heather, "How many of those are Marik's and how many are yours?"

"This one is mine, the rest are his," she told him holding up the smallest bag. At this, everyone else began to laugh too. Marik stormed up to his office leaving his bags for one of the newbies to take care of. After about a half hour he called Carla and Heather to his office.

"I need your reports before you head off on this new mission," he told them hitting the record button on his computer.

The girls went through every detail of what happened up to the point where they reached him in the basement before he turned it off.

"Villa Franka? You've never mentioned a Villa Franka," he said afterward.

"I've never heard of it," Heather said, "I'm just as confused as you are."

"Yeah, same here," Carla said after a moment.

"Okay," he said as he pulled open one of the many drawers in his desk. He removed a file and tossed it to Carla who began to speed read as Marik began explaining their next assignment to Heather. When Carla was done reading, they switched and Marik explained it one more time.

"I've heard that Tommy has a new base he just built. You are going to go and do some reconnaissance."

"I got that much from the reports in there," Carla said nodding at the file Heather was still reading.

"Okay. What do you need to know before you head out?"

"Are we going to have any kind of back-up, just in case, you know?"

"Do you really think you need back-up? You've never asked for back-up before. Something about it look bad to you?"

"No, I just…have a bad feeling is all. It's probably nothing. We better get going," Carla stood up and turned to leave.

"Wait," Marik said as Heather stood too, handing back the file, "Take these." He handed them each a tiny tracer.

"Not a tracer," he told them at their doubtful look, "They're, for lack of a better word, bugs. We can hear you, but you won't be able to hear us unless we turn on the two-way part of the bug. Just in case."

Heather took placed her bug in the butt of her gun; Carla, in her ear.

"See ya," Heather said as she walked out the door.

"What she said," Carla followed her out.

"Good luck," Marik muttered. He waited until their footsteps had disappeared down the hall before he called for Odion.

"Odion, I need your help keeping track of them. Carla had a bad feeling. The last time she had a bad feeling, we nearly lost them."

"You gave them the bugs, right?" Odion asked pulling out the recording system the bugs were on and turning on the speakers just loud enough that it could be heard in the office, but not out.

"Yeah, but I'm still worried."

"I understand, but it will be okay, and if worst comes to worst, we can go get them, or rather Joey can. Do you want me to get a team ready just in case?"

"Yes, please. Joey, Mekiahl, and a few others, but not too many. We can't risk a public relations situation."

"What if we got Joey to help us keep an eye on them, well, ear technically."

"Sure. Go find him will you. Oh, and tell him one crack about the 'shopping trip' and he'll be running laps 'till he dies."

"Of course, Master Marik," Odion gave a small bow and left. He found Joey outside giving the gang a tour of the grounds, while simultaneously introducing them to Mekiahl.

"Joey," Odion said approaching them, "Everyone. You'll have to excuse us. Joey, Marik needs to see you in his office immediately. He also wants me to tell you, and I quote, 'One crack about the shopping trip and you'll be running laps 'till you die.'"

"Yeah, that sounds like him. 'Kay, I'll be there in a second."

"It's important. Now, Joey."

Joey looked at Odion, gauging his expression before nodding and turning back to his friends. "Sorry, we'll have to finish this tour another time. I'll catch you later," he said as he ran off to the building and up to Marik's office.

"What's going on Odion?" asked Yugi, who could tell when something was very wrong.

"Believe it or not, Yugi, Joey still has a job to do. But, seeing as I have deprived you of your guide may I suggest you all find something to do. I'm sure you have work that you can do," Odion said nodding at Kiaba, "And, Yugi, have you called your Grandfather since you left Japan, or have you decided that he doesn't need to know what you do anymore?"

"Grandpa!!" Yugi realized in shock, before he charged off to his room to call and apologize to his grandfather for worrying him so much.

"You're free to explore all you want, but please stay out of the way of the Newbies."

Odion left them there knowing that Marik was going to need his help to keep Joey from over reacting. He had reached the office door when he heard Joey's eruption.

"She's doing WHAT?!"

**Yazani:** Well, how am I doing?

**Yugi:** We all think you're doing a great job. Although again, I'm surprised by what you know.

**Yazani:** _(sighs)_ We've been over this already. I know you people. Besides, I know things, in case you haven't noticed yet, I have a bit of precognition.

**Marik:** So I've noticed.

**Everyone:** _(surprised)_ Marik?!

**Kiaba:** What are you doing here?

**Marik:** _(sits)_ I'm in the story too, and it's not just you who will be staring in it, I'll be there too. _(makes a face)_

**Kitsune:** What?

**Marik:** What what?

**Kitsune:** What was that face about?

**Marik:** _( guardedly)_ Nothing.

**Yazani:** Yeah, nothing.

**Kitsune:** Yazani. What do you know, that we don't know?

**Yazani: **Many things, what in particular?

**Kitsune:** Whatever it is you're helping Marik hide?

**Yazani:** I already said it's nothing. _(looks at Yugi)_ So, I've got a question for you. How is it that you got the Puzzle back? And you, _(looks at Ryo)_ How'd you get the ring again?

**Yugi:**_ (shrugs)_ It just showed up one day.

**Ryo:** Same here.

**Marik: **_(to Yazani)_ Don't bother. They won't get it. Might as well just tell them. Milak's back. The face was in response to his comment about the Pharaoh._ (turns to Yami)_ He was saying you were a bit full of yourself to think that Odion, Ishizu, and I wouldn't be joining you all.

**Milak:** _(materializes behind his light)_ No, I said he was a - who needed to be taught a lesson in-

**Yazani:** _(stands, grabs Milak's ear and drags him outside)_

**Everyone:** _(watches the door)_

**Yazani and Milak:** _(return and sit)_

**Kitsune: **What was that about?

**Yazani:** Milak and I were just having a little chat. Don't worry about it. Milak, isn't here something you want to tell the Pharaoh?

**Milak:** _(glares at Yazani before speaking)_ Sorry.

**Everyone:** _(jaw drops)_

**Marik:** _(in shock to Yazani)_ What did you say to him?

**Milak:** _(mocking)_ You mean you haven't told them yet, little witch?

**Yazani:** I brought Milak back. I brought back the items. Well, I didn't exactly bring them back myself, rather, by solving the mini-puzzle and setting Yani free, I recalled the items to this world, and thus all the spirits connected to them. The thing is, I can just as easily send Milak back to the torture of the shadow realm, if he doesn't behave.

**Marik:** Wait, if the items are back, where's the rod, I didn't get it. I found the eye.

**Kiaba:** I've got the rod.

**Everyone:** _(stares at Kiaba)_

**Kiaba:** I tried to get rid of it, but it keeps coming back.

**Yazani:** _(yawns)_ Well, sorry that you missed the chapter, Marik. Here's the book, you'll have to catch up on your own. I am exhausted. 'Night all. _(leaves)_


	10. Survival

**Chapter Nine: **Survival

"She's doing WHAT?!" Joey yelled slamming his fists down on the table.

"Her job," Marik replied calmly, "And you are going to keep an eye on them."

"I am?" Joey asked instantly confused, after all, Death and Mercy were the best, they never needed looking after, did they? "What's so special about this assignment?"

"Sit down and I'll explain," Marik said in a reasonable tone.

Joey sat.

"Carla was worried; she asked if they would be getting back-up, so I gave them bugs. We can hear them through this," he said indicating the funny little computer that was recording every word that was coming through the bugs. "I want you to listen to everything that's going on with them. We can't afford to loose them."

"Okay," Joey said moving to the computer and putting on the headphones. He was relieved to hear the sounds of two motorcycles coming in. He pulled up a chair and settled himself down to a long job.

**************************************************************

"I can't believe that I forgot about Grandpa," Yugi said as he rejoined the group.

"Was he upset?" asked Tea. They were all still outside, sitting in the bleachers watching the newbies run laps.

"No, he wasn't. It was almost like he expected something like this to happen. Actually, that's what he said. And I suppose he had a point."

"What exactly did he say?" asked Mokuba.

"He said it had been too quiet since the puzzle and ring had returned. He said that it was only a matter of time before some psycho showed up, or something crazy started to happen. He's right. I should have noticed it myself. We can never have a normal life when the items are involved."

"Do you want us to leave?" asked Yami, materializing next to his hikari.

"NO!" Yugi said loudly, "I mean that, well you have to admit, that we tend to attract trouble. If it wasn't one problem it was another. I guess we are really overdue for saving the world from someone who wants to take it over."

"You're right. We're really getting it now. Spies and bombs and all that stuff. But it doesn't really seem to be our problem this time," Yami said thoughtfully.

"What's that sopposed to mean?" asked Bakura, who had materialized behind Ryo.

"Well, think about it. Normally the bad guy comes straight for us, but this time it seems to have come after Joey, Heather, and Carla. The only reason we have anything to do with it at all is because we decided to follow them. We haven't had to do anything at all and besides all that, Joey has been fighting this particular evil for ten years. And it sounds as if the other two have been doing it for even longer. Maybe it's not our job this time. Maybe we are just so used to it being our job that we involve ourselves when we don't have to."

"Doubtful," Seto scoffed, "Since when was anything that happens to you been a coincidence or an accident."

"Wait a minute. Hold everything! Since when did Kiaba believe in fate or destiny or any of that stuff?" Bakura asked staring at Kiaba with a look that told Kiaba, 'You're hiding something and I am going to find out what it is.'

'Go ahead and try,' Kiaba shot back before standing up to go do some work on his laptop and see if he'd had any luck with his most recent search for 'her.'

************************************************************************

"Dear Ra," Carla said quietly to Heather, "I can't believe this place. It's even grander than his mansion in the US."

"I know. He really put a lot of effort into this place. To bad he hasn't learned to improve his guard on the stupid place."

"It's probably for the best. I know you love a challenge, but still," Carla whispered, "Come one, we might as well go. We've seen the whole place and something doesn't feel right. It was almost too easy to get in."

"He's getting sloppy, that's all," Heather replied turning and following Carla back down the hall.

"Wait," Carla said coming to a halt, "What did you just say?"

"He's getting sloppy?"

"Since when was anything Tommy did ever sloppy?"

"Ah crap! You're right. Let's get out of here before we fall into what ever stupid trap he has planned for us."

"But you already have fallen into his trap," a voice said from behind them.

Before they could even turn around something hit them in the back of the head and everything went black.

****************************************************************

_"Quickly, get them down into the dungeon."_ Joey heard the voice say before the line went completely silent.

"Crap!" He yelled jumping up and throwing the headphones to the floor.

"What?!" Marik and Odion exclaimed in unison as Joey fiddled with the dials to replay the last few seconds of live feed the bug had recorded.

_"-get out of here before we fall into whatever stupid trap he has planned for us."_

_"But you already have fallen into his trap." Two thuds._

_"Quickly, get them down into the dungeon."_

Joey hit the stop button.

"We have to go get them, now, while we still know where they are."

"You're right," Marik said, "Odion, get Mekiahl and-" He was interrupted by the door opening and Seto walked in.

"I'm going with you," he said looking straight at Joey.

"What the heck!" Joey exclaimed, "You're not part of the UCSO. You don't have the right training."

"Actually," Marik interrupted, "That's not a bad idea. Odion, get Yugi and the rest of them up here too. Now!"

Odion took off with a nod and returned a few minutes later with the gang and a very confused Mekiahl in tow.

"There's no time to go into detail right now. I need to ask you all if you are willing to become temporary members of the UCSO, are you?"

"Sure."

"Great. I'll fill you in on the way, but right now we need to get to the helicopter. It's waiting for us on the roof." He got up and led the way out into the hall. They had gone up two flights of stairs when Ishizu caught up with them.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked her brother furious.

"We're going to rescue Heather and Carla." He replied not bothering to slow down.

"Are you crazy?!"

"Yes."

"Then I'm coming too. The last time I let you go do something crazy on your own, you nearly destroyed the world."

"That wasn't me! It was Milak! You know that," he said as they made their way to the rather large armor-plated helicopter.

"Still," she replied and climbed into the pilot's seat.

"What exactly is going on?" asked Mokuba once the chopper was off the ground.

"Carla and Heather have been captured. They're being held prisoner in a new base. Joey's going in to get them out. Yugi, Kiaba, how were your marks on B-n-E and rescues at Interpol?"

"The best," Kiaba told him honestly.

"Fine. You two are with Joey. Mekiahl, you're going to guard their entrance. The rest of us are going to wait in the chopper, if you can get out without being seen then good. If not, we storm the place and airlift you out. Joey, Mekiahl, suit up. Get Yugi and Kiaba set up too."

"Come on," Joey said touching Yugi's arm, "Follow me."

He led the way back into another room where there were two closets. He pulled out a four boxes and handed one to Yugi, Kiaba, and Mekiahl. Mekiahl went into a small bathroom and changed. When he was done Yugi went in. The black suit fit him well but he had no idea which pockets all the stuff went in. Joey helped him and Yugi helped Kiaba while Joey changed. By the time they were done and had returned to the rest of the gang Marik had supplied everyone with a small rifle. He handed the four in black pistols and Yugi took it with a sigh.

"Sorry Yug," Joey said.

"No worries Joey. Just because I don't like guns, doesn't mean I don't know when to use them."

"We're here," Marik said recapturing everyone's attention. As soon as they landed he threw open the doors and Joey, Yugi, Seto, and Mekiahl jumped out making their way stealthily to the base that looked more like a mansion.

*********************************************************

"K," Carla called to her friend, "K wake up."

"Five more minutes," she muttered.

"Yeah, you wish."

"As a matter of fact I do," Heather said looking up at her comrade, "Ah man. Why do they always have to string us up like this?" She asked irritated as she tried to move her fingers. They were working but had fallen asleep in the cuffs.

"I think they enjoy seeing our wrists bleed," Carla replied twisting her wrists around so Heather could see the blood dripping from under the cuffs.

"You're probably right," Heather was lucky, her wrists weren't bleeding yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time, "How long you been awake?"

"About twenty minutes. They didn't leave me enough slack to do much of anything. I guess we're stuck for the moment. I can't get loose. How about you?"

"I doubt it. You're the escape artist after all."

"True, but I was hoping that they would make a mistake and assume that you couldn't get out when you actually could."

"Tommy doesn't make those kinds of mistakes."

"True."

"So now what?"

"Wanna talk?"

"About what?"

"I don't know. Joey, the gang, the meaning of life…"

"Heh," Heather let out a hard laugh.

"…why guys have nipples."

At this, Heather snorted.

"No, seriously. Why do guys have nipples? They don't have breasts so why should they have nipples?"

"That's a good point."

They were silent for a while.

"I bet they're listening to every word we say, looking for hidden messages in it."

"Probably."

"I wonder if I freaked them out with the nipples thing."

"I hope so."

"Yeah, me too."

Silence enclosed them again.

"Found the camera," Carla said and grabbing the chain she was dangling from, she swung and kicked it out with her feet.

"Nice."

"Yeah, that's about all I can do though. I really can't get out of these cuffs. The locks in a really bad place and I can't get close enough to get you out. I guess we're stuck."

"For a while anyway."

"You're going to regret doing that," came the voice from before.

"Not likely," Carla told him. It was no one they knew, someone younger than them, obviously. He knew what he was doing though and stayed out of Carla's kicking range.

He didn't say another word as he proceeded to prepare cuffs for the two girls' feet. He walked up and when Carla kicked he grabbed and cuffed her feet in place before she could land more than one decent kick to his chest. Heather didn't have any better luck.

"Now" he said quietly, "It's my turn."

Whoever he was, he was good. He broke no bones but made every hit hurt like it. Both girls were pretty badly bruised by the time he left but they had not made a sound through the entire confrontation.

"Ow," Carla said blandly after he had locked the door and left.

"Understatement," Heather replied. Both girls sagged and allowed the cuffs and chains to hold them up for a few minutes.

"How long 'till the cavalry arrives?" Heather asked in a calm but tired voice.

"To be honest, I expected them to already be here by now. I don't think they're coming, or if they are, they're having a lot more trouble than they should be." She paused listening, "Definitely having more trouble. I think that's the alarm going off. No, wait, never mind."

"Too bad. I want to get out of here."

"Yeah, me too," Carla shifted so that she was standing again, "Aww man!"

"What?"

"I just realized, they took our guns! Drat. That means I'll have to make us some new ones. That's so annoying."

"Um, Carla?" Heather asked shifting so that she could see her fellow prisoner.

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Why?"

"You're acting pretty weird. Did he hit you on the head or something?"

"As a matter of fact, I am kinda dizzy," she admitted looking up at the roof, "Really dizzy actually."

"That can't be good," Heather said to herself as she saw Carla sway before relaxing and letting the chains hold her up again. She was about to speak when she heard a tiny noise. She recognized it in an instant and spoke somewhat loudly to cover it up.

"So what do you think of Tommy's new place?" She asked Carla whose eyes were closed to try and stop the room from spinning.

"It's okay I guess, if you're into all the whole head of the international mob thing, but it's not really my style."

"I agree. Little too well done. I mean it's almost like he stole the designs from Al Capone. Think they'll try to make anything out of that. After all, Al Capone could be code for, I don't know, the police."

"I doubt it. They probably don't have anymore than the one listening device that was in the camera and I already took that out. Tommy had no issues with letting us talk so freely to each other. He expects that we can never get out and no one but us can get in."

"True and that's where he's wrong, right cavalry?" Heather directed her voice toward the door which was opening very carefully. At her question the door swung fully open to reveal Joey in the doorway.

"You need to be more careful," He told her coming in and beginning to unlock the cuffs around her wrists.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're not my mother and you're not Carla, so just shut up," She rubbed her wrists gingerly as he worked on her feet.

"Heather," Carla said confusion evident in her voice, "I think I'm hallucinating."

"Why?"

"Because I think that Kiaba and Yugi just walked in but why would they be here?"

"No, they're really here," Joey said answering for Heather, "Marik seemed to think it would be a good idea, but we don't have time to discuss it right now. We need to get out of here, quick."

Carla wasn't listening. She was looking between Seto and Yugi, "What the devil are you two doing here?!" she asked a little too loudly.

"Getting you two out of here," Seto answered quietly, "Now keep your voice down." Seto was working to free her hands now, he'd already freed her feet and Yugi was standing guard at the door, pistol in hand.

Her first hand came free and she just let it drop still staring at her rescuer in shock and surprise. She wasn't ready when her other hand came free and she started to fall but Seto caught her.

"Can you walk?" He asked holding her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said coming out of it and standing up. She looked at Heather and shaking her head said, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get out of here."

"How'd you guys get in?" Heather asked.

"We came in through the side entrance. Mekiahl helped us jump the fence." Joey replied.

"Well we can't go back that way then. Carla you got an escape route figured out yet?"

"Yeah, follow me," Carla said. She began walking and had just reached Yugi when he spoke.

"Follow you? Why should we follow you? We're supposed to be rescuing you."

"Much as I hate to admit it," Seto said joining them at the door, "I have to agree with Yugi."

Yugi shot Seto a glare before turning back to Carla who tapped her forehead.

"Photographic memory," she said simply, "I know every corner of this place as well as if I'd lived here my whole life. Now let's go."

Carla led the way out of the dungeon and up the stairs to the basement. Seto came second followed by Yugi. Heather was next and Joey brought up the rear. Carla paused beside a door, debating. She opened it on impulse and led the way down a narrow flight of stairs.

"Where does this lead?" Joey called out quietly to Carla.

She turned back a little bit so it would be easier for Joey to hear her, "They lead to the sheds near the wall. We can sneak from one to another until we reach the-" she was cut off suddenly when she missed a step and was sent plummeting down the stairs. She came to rest in a heap at the bottom after falling some ten or twenty feet.

"Carla!" Seto called out as the group went bounding down the steps to see if she was all right.

"I'm fine," she said sitting up, "Keep your voice down."

Seto placed a hand beneath her elbow and lifted her to her feet. She took a step forward and almost fell.

"Sorry," she told them leaning on Seto's arm, "Someone else is going to have to lead for a while. I rolled my ankle, I'll be okay in a while but I'll need a hand until then."

"I'll go first, but you'll have to guide me," Yugi said moving ahead of the twosome.

"All right. This passage goes on for about twenty feet before we reach the next set of stairs. At the top there'll be a door. It should be unlocked. When we get out we'll have to decide which way to go. It all depends on whether they know we're gone or not."

Yugi led the way cautiously. The group was silent until they were outside.

"There's a lot of activity. They must know we're gone," Heather said, "Now what?"

"Now we call for back-up," Joey said pulling out his small radio that had a direct connection with the helicopter.

"I thought you were the back-up," Carla said good naturedly but Joey wasn't listening. He told the person on the other end of the line that an alarm had been triggered. He listened and replied before putting the instrument away.

"We need to get to the front," he told them and began leading the way.

By the time they had reached the front the helicopter was just in sight.

"What the devil?" Carla asked for the second time that night.

"It's back-up," Joey told her, "They can't get to much closer and we can't get any closer without leaving our cover. We'll have to make a break for it and hope that they don't notice us at first."

But as the chopper got closer it became clear that that wasn't going to be the case. As it began to land those of Tommy's agents that were in the yard opened fire on the armor-plated chopper. The large side door opened and those inside returned fire.

"Damn!" Heather swore.

"Language!"

"Now what?" She continued completely ignoring Carla.

"We'll have to make a break for it," Joey repeated.

"Are you crazy?!"

"No," he tapped his chest, "The three of us are wearing bulletproof vests. I'll follow right behind you so just keep your head down and we should be okay."

"Fine, but what about Carla? I doubt she can run yet and-" but Seto cut her off.

"I'll carry her and Yugi can follow behind us," he said.

"But," Carla began, trying to think of a suitable argument, but she couldn't find one. "Fine. Let's go."

Heather nodded and prepared to dash out of hiding. "On three," she said to Joey.

"Okay," He replied, "Three!" They took off. They were half way to the chopper when they were noticed and the bullets started coming after them.

"All right, let's go," Seto said as he easily picked up Carla and got ready to run. Yugi nodded and they too took off. They were noticed much more quickly and had more trouble. Heather was almost there when she tripped. Yugi ran past Seto and Carla to cover Joey as he helped Heather up. They reached the chopper and several pairs of hands reached out to pull them in to safety. The chopper lifted a little off the ground in anticipation of being able to take off. Carla shifted suddenly in Seto's grip and he fell. The timing had been good. Something whizzed past their heads from the side. Some agents had snuck around to the sides of the lawn to get a better shot but were quickly taken out by those in the chopper. It lifted a little higher; it was now about five feet off the ground. Seto stood and picked Carla up. He raced to the chopper where just as many hands grabbed him and Carla. They were hauled in as the chopper took off for home. The doors were slammed shut abruptly cutting off the sound of gunfire.

Carla looked around her in amazement. Tea, Mokuba, Ryo, Bakura, Yami, Marik, Odion, Rebecca, Duke, and Mia were all there, each holding a rifle and looking a little bit shaken. Well, Bakura wasn't shaken, he looked excited. Carla started laughing as she stood up.

"I don't believe it," she said as much to herself as to anyone else, "Heather, we just had our butts saved by a bunch of rag-tag, untrained, newbies. I can't wait to rub that in Tommy's face. Hey, Mekiahl, hand me the first aid kit." She waited while Mekiahl dug out the case and handed it to her.

"Come on Heather," she gestured to her partner, "We'll go in back and get you all fixed up, but first...who the devil thought it would be a good idea to give the thief king a fully automatic sniper rifle?"

"He has the best aim," Ryo admitted sheepishly.

Heather sighed and followed Carla into the room into which Joey had taken Yugi and Seto to suit up. A few minutes later Carla had applied bandages soaked in some herbal remedy to all of Heather's bruises as well as her own. She dug out a couple pain killers and a bottle of water to take them with and handed them to Heather. Heather took them and Carla left.

After a moment Joey came and joined her on the bench being sure to shut the door behind himself.

"Heather?" he spoke her name tenderly.

"What?"

"How do you feel?"

"I hurt," she told him honestly, "And I'm tired. But I can't sleep, the bench is too hard."

"Here, lean on me," he placed an arm around her and she leaned her head on his shoulder. They sat there for several minutes in silence before Joey spoke.

"Heather?"

"Hmm?"

He paused, "Never mind."

"No, what?"

"It's nothing really."

"Sure it is," she shifted and let the whole thing slide. After a moment she noticed that Joey was fiddling with something in his pocket. She sat up and he froze looking at her.

"What?" He asked.

"What's in your pocket that's making you so nervous?"

He looked at his pocket but didn't say anything. Heather's hand shot out and pulled his hand out. A small box fell out and they both dived for it. Heather snatched it and sat back down. Joey sat down too and didn't bother to try and take it back. Heather examined the box. It was small, black and velvet covered. She opened it and found a small silver ring with a diamond set into the face.

"What's this for?" she asked, not wanting to think about what it reminded her of.

"Well," he took a deep breath and it all came out in a rush, "I want to ask you to marry me, but I know that you wouldn't even consider it until Tommy is in prison or dead, the latter being preferable, but I still want to marry you and Carla has suggested that I just ask you anyway right now and…and…I love you." He fell silent and Heather just stared at the ring in shock. Slowly she closed the box and handed it back to him.

"I can't, not now," she said quietly.

"I know," he said taking the box back and placing it in his pocket, "Just know that as soon as Tommy's gone, you're spoken for and I will want an answer. I'll help you take him down. I'll do whatever needs to be done to make sure you and I both live through this because I love you and I…" he trailed off.

Heather leaned up against him again and he wrapped both his arms around her. They slept the rest of the way home.

****************************************************************************

'K, why do you have to be so stubborn?' Carla asked herself. She'd been standing outside the door and heard the whole conversation. 'What's it gonna take to get you to marry him and be happy? You could die. He could die. He's so much like Masaya, and I don't want a repeat of that. I don't want you to lose another love. You've been given a second chance at true love; I'm not going to let you waste it.' She turned and walked back to the cockpit to sit with Ishizu. Most everyone was asleep except Kiaba who was working on his laptop. She leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. 'I guess I'm out of options now. I've got to do it. For her sake.'

*****************************************************************************

Heather and Joey were roused out of a light sleep by a quiet nock at the door and Carla's voice calling out to them.

"Heather, Joey, we're back at headquarters. It's time to get off and go to bed."

"I don't wanna," Heather mumbled snuggling up closer to Joey.

"I'll carry you if you want," Joey whispered in her ear. He stood and picked her up, gently carrying her through the empty, dark halls of UCSO Headquarters. He took her to her room and placed her carefully on her bed. He turned to leave but she had a hold of his sleeve.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked him her voice stern.

"To bed."

"No, you're staying here," she said, "With me." She moved over slightly and he crawled onto the bed next to her.

"Why?" He asked and added hastily, "Not that I'm complaining."

She sighed, "Because I can't sleep."

"But you were sleeping just a little while ago."

"Whenever I'm alone, the nightmares come back."

"Nightmares?"

"Of losing," she paused, not finishing her sentence.

"Of losing?" he prompted her.

"Never mind," she told him resting her face on his chest, "Just stay."

"'Kay," he said quietly. He placed his cheek on the top of her head and fell quickly into a deep sleep.

*******************************************************************************

"Yugi," Tea said as they climbed into the bed in their temporary room, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied hugging her to him, something he had not done in a while.

"Are you sure?" she asked enjoying the embrace.

"Yeah. It's a bit like going back in time, back to when Seto and I did that training," he told her kissing her forehead.

"Why didn't you ever tell me about that?" she asked looking up at him.

He looked down at her his eyes clear, "I didn't want you to worry, and it's not like I ever actually worked for them. We just trained with them." She nodded, understanding how much she would have worried if he had told her. They were silent for a while before Tea spoke again.

"Aren't you going to take you're sleeping pill tonight?" she asked. He looked at her surprised.

"How did you know-" he began, but she cut him off.

"It was obvious. Why else would you always be asleep after only a few minutes every night, no matter how stormy?"

"I don't think," he told her slowly, "I don't think that I'll be needing them anymore. Joey's safe, well I suppose safe isn't the best word but still."

"Good," she said and stopped all further discussion by kissing him.

**********************************************************************************

'Be safe,' Carla ended her letter with her usual comment before signing her name. She glanced up at the clock. It was just after six in the morning, 'Everyone should still be asleep,' she thought as she sealed the letter away and placed it in a prominent spot on her desk. She stood and grabbed the tray filled with coffee cups. Her own special brew sat steaming in each cup as she went upstairs to her friends' rooms.

Her first stop was room 314. Inside she found Mokuba and Rebecca. They were both sleeping peacefully and looked quite content in each other's arms. Carla placed two cups of coffee on the table beside the bed and left. Yugi and Tea were next and as fast asleep as Mokuba and Rebecca had been. She left two cups and continued down the hall to Mia and Duke. They hadn't even bothered with the sheets, choosing instead to just plop down and sleep however they landed.

Next was Ryo's room on the fourth floor. Inside she found that Ryo and Bakura had separated and were both asleep. She left a cup for Ryo by the bed and another for Bakura by the sofa. Then came the dangerous room. Kiaba was more likely to be awake than asleep and so Carla opened the door with great care, but it turned out there was nothing to be worried about. Kiaba too was fast asleep, his laptop was still out on the table by his bed and he hadn't even bothered to put on pajamas. Carla tiptoed in and turned off the computer before putting it away and replacing it with a cup of coffee.

Upstairs she came to her own room that she shared with Heather and was slightly and pleasantly surprised to find Joey still there. He was holding Heather lightly as they slept and Carla smiled to herself as she left them their coffee.

Up in Marik's office she found all three Ishtars. Ishizu was curled up in a chair, while her two brothers occupied either couch. There were papers scattered all over the coffee table between them and Carla had a hard time finding a place to put the three cups.

She went back down to her lab and grabbed her jacket and pack from just inside the door.

'Well,' she thought to herself, 'Here I go.' And with that she left the safety of UCSO headquarters to find the Villa Franka and put an end to Tommy once and for all.

*******************************************************************************

**Yazani:**_ (to Marik)_ How do you like it so far?

**Marik:** How should I like it? It's accurate if that's what you're asking and it's very well written.

**Yazani:** _(beaming)_ Thank you.

**Joey:** You were listening!?

**Yazani:** Of course I was. You'd have listened too if you'd been in my position.

**Seto:**_ (to Yugi)_ You're off the sleeping pills now?

**Yugi:** Yeah. I haven't needed them since that day. No more nightmares. Kind of weird, huh? When everything is fine and there are no psychos threatening us everyday I have nightmares but as long as there's something to be dealing with I'm fine.

**Yazani:** So what are you dealing with now?

**Yugi:** _(sarcastic smile)_ You.

**Yazani:** Hey, _(pouting)_ that's not fair. I'm not a psycho and I'm not threatening you.

**Everyone:**_ (laughs)_

**Yazani:** _(smiles sadistically)_ Of course if you want me to be psycho and try to take over the world I can. I'll even recruit Bakura and Milak to help me.

**Bakura and Milak:** YES!!

**Seto:** _(feigning insult)_ What, I'm not invited?

**Yazani:** _(shrugging)_ Sure, why not. _(evilly)_ With Seto, Bakura, and Milak on my side we will defeat the light and bring about a reign of darkness, the likes of which have never been imagined!!

**Yugi:** Sure ya will.

**Yazani:** _(shrugs)_ You'd be surprised how many times I choose the evil side in games. I remember this one time in my English Compositions class we were told to describe a cube in the desert and also a ladder, a field, a horse, and a sandstorm. What we wrote was supposed to tell us what we were really like on the inside. Mine told me, and I quote, 'You are drawn to the Dark Side.'

**Kitsune:** _(laughing)_ You? Drawn to the Dark Side? Yeah right!

**Yazani:** That's what I said, but it had a point. It said I was drawn, not that I joined it. And the Dark Side is somewhat fascinating. It's a lot easier to deal with because you don't have a conscience and thus don't have to worry about other people and what they think or feel. It's got to be easier, not as happy, but easier.

**Everyone: **_(stares, confused)_

**Yazani:** What?

**Ryo:** _(shakes head)_ You're crazy.

**Yazani:** Yeah, I know. Now go to bed. It's getting late.


	11. Demon of Death

**Chapter Ten:** Demon of Death

Heather woke up first but didn't bother to wake Joey up at first. After a few minutes though she needed to stretch and she noticed the coffee by her bed. Reaching over, she popped open the lid and the smell of Carla's secret blend assaulted her nose. She grabbed her cup and ran into the bathroom with her prize. Joey woke up a few minutes later and panicked. Heather was missing. He'd stayed closer to her that night than he ever had before and somehow she had gotten away from him.

He had just gotten out of bed when Heather emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and looking as if she hadn't been tortured less than 24 hours earlier. She was still holding her coffee and had only gotten through about half of it.

"Here," she said handing Joey the other cup and acting as if nothing strange had happened that night, "Let's go see who else is up."

Joey accepted the coffee and shrugged not willing to mention that he thought he had lost her. Together they walked into the cafeteria and joined the rest of the gang at the large table in the corner which they seemed to have claimed as their own.

"You got coffee too I see," Yugi said as the two newcomers pulled up chairs and sat.

"Yeah, it's Carla's special blend," Heather told them taking another sip, "She doesn't make it very often."

"Carla doesn't drink coffee, so why does she have her own special blend?" Seto asked.

"How do you know she doesn't drink coffee?" Ryo asked.

"I asked her about it once when she was visiting, about three years ago. That day we all spent, at the mall of all places."

"Oh."

"So, what's with the special delivery?" He asked, again turning to Heather and Joey.

Heather shrugged, "It's just something she does occasionally. And you won't hear me complaining, I love this stuff." She took another sip.

"It is good," Tea admitted.

Just then, Marik walked in. He paused in the doorway looking to see exactly where the gang was sitting. He spotted them and walked quickly over to them. He leaned over and spoke in Heather's ear.

"Where's Carla?"

"How should I know?" she replied at a normal volume.

"Because you're the Angels of Death and Mercy!" he said standing up and not bothering to whisper anymore.

"So."

Marik let out a sigh, "I need to talk to her. Now."

"Did you try her lab?"

"Yes I tried her lab. She's not answering and I know the alarm in there is loud enough to wake the dead. It had to be."

"So maybe she's not in there."

"I've checked everywhere else, and she wouldn't dare take off without telling me."

This time Heather sighed, "Sit down for a minute and I'll call and find out where she is." Marik sat down as Heather pulled out her cell phone. As she hit the speed dial, Marik took a swallow of the coffee he had with him that matched the cups everyone else had.

"She sure made a lot of coffee," Marik said to no one in particular, "Odion and Ishizu each have one as well."

"That is a lot of coffee," Tea said as she contemplated what it would be like making that much coffee.

Heather slowly pulled her phone away from her ear with a confused look on her face.

"Well," Marik said impatiently.

"I got her voice mail. Here, let me replay it for you," Heather put the phone on speaker and hit the redial button. It rang a few times before Carla's cheerful voice came on.

'Hi K, if I'm not answering, which obviously I'm not since you're hearing this message, I've probably gone to do something stupid. Please don't try to stop me. If you do, I will never make you another toy. Tell Joey to implement plan D. Anyway, I'll see ya, eventually.'

The message ended and Heather turned the phone off.

"What's plan D?" she asked Joey.

Joey stood up with his coffee, "I'm supposed to let you into her lab," he told her.

"How?"

"With my key."

"You have a key?! To Carla's LAB?! I don't even have a key to her lab!!!" Marik said rising.

Joey didn't bother to answer and instead pulled out a key that matched Carla's.

"Come on," he said leading the way out of the cafeteria and down to the lab. He paused at the door and rang the bell before inserting the key and opening the constantly locked door.

The lab was dark; the only lights that were on were on the various powders and bacteria's. Joey reached over and flicked on the light switch like he had been there and done that many times before. He led the way past the various tools and tables to the little office in the back.

In the middle of the room was a large desk. On the desk were many papers and a single photo frame, face down. In one corner there was a large, movable closet. The door was slightly open and they could see many outfits and several lab coats. In another corner was a small army cot and in the last was a short couch.

Joey went over to the desk while Heather and Marik followed more slowly. He grabbed the letter there and handed it to Heather who opened it and read out loud to the other two.

'Dear K,

I have realized what Villa Franka means. In a story that I found in his library once when we were young, there was a place called the Villa Franka. It was a home in Italy where a woman named Franka owned an entire village with the villa. At first I thought it meant his home in Italy, but then I realized he would care more about owning a village or city than a bit of land in a certain country. What he meant was the village and oasis out in the middle of the Sahara. You remember the one. He owned the entire place, not just the land but the businesses and the people serve him because he provides for them

I have gone to finish it. You keep saying that it will never be finished until either he or we are dead. I intend to make sure the next headstone is not yours. After all, you're getting another chance at happiness. I won't let you waste it.

While I'm thinking about it, there should be another set of results coming in soon and I think that I've finally gotten it right. I really believe that I've found us.

I'll be seeing you.

Y.

Be safe.'

"What the heck is she planning?" Marik asked as Heather finished reading.

"No," Joey ran over to a small safe in the wall that they hadn't noticed at first. He put in the combination and threw open the door. It was empty.

"What?" Heather asked as Joey closed the safe and spun the dial.

"Well," he said, not sure what to say, "You won't have to worry about her dying from not getting enough light down here in her lab."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" asked Marik.

"It means she doesn't plan to come back from this mission, well, not in one piece anyway."

"Crap!" Heather yelled as she bolted back out of the door.

"Heather! Wait!" Marik called taking off after her. Joey followed, bolting the door as he ran. He caught up to the other two just outside of the cafeteria where the gang had joined them.

"I have to go after her! She'll get herself killed if I don't!" Heather was yelling at Marik, "You think I'm just gonna let that happen!? I can't! I can't just abandon her!!!"

"I know, but you can't afford to go off half-cocked!" Marik replied in a loud voice.

"But half-cocked means the safety's on!"

"What?"

"Never mind. What do you suggest?!"

"Take Joey with you, and them while you're at it," he said waving his arm at the gang.

"It's too dangerous!"

"I didn't say you had to take them all the way in with you. Just take them. I'll have a couple jeeps ready for you by the time you get to the basement, fully equipped."

Heather paused for only a fraction of a second, "Fine!" She turned and hurriedly made her way down to the garage. Joey let out a sigh before turning to Yugi and the gang.

"Come on," he told them calmly, "If we don't hurry, she'll leave without us."

"What exactly is going on?" Yugi asked falling into step beside Joey.

"Carla's making a fool of herself," Joey replied half-sarcastically.

"How?" Seto asked from his position at the back of the group.

"She's gone to take care of Tommy by herself. But that's not the worst of it."

"What is the worst of it?" Mokuba asked.

"She took everything. All her bombs, guns, home-made bullets, everything, which means that she doesn't care if she comes back or not."

The group fell silent. Seto froze in his tracks. 'What the hell is she thinking?' he asked himself, 'Of all the stupid-we need to get her, she'll get herself killed.' He quickly caught up to the rest of the group before they realized that he had stopped.

Downstairs, they split into two groups. Heather, Joey, Seto, and Yugi took one jeep. Ryo, Bakura, Yami, Tristan, and Mokuba took the other. Everyone else stayed behind to keep track of them via tracers and two-way communicators.

The drive to the oasis took nearly three hours. The place was almost deserted. Then again, it was also nearly noon, the hottest part of the day, and no one went out at that time unless they had to. The group drove straight through town without stopping. Once they were out of the town limits, Heather pulled up under the shade of a tree, Tristan followed in the other jeep. Once both were stopped, she and Joey got out.

"Joey and I are going in, the rest of you, stay here," she told them.

"Why?" Seto asked, debating fighting her on it or not.

"If Tommy really is in there, then I'm going to need to use every skill I have ever been taught to keep myself and Joey out of trouble. I couldn't keep anyone else safe. Joey is used to working with me so he'll know what to do. I don't care how good you were at Interpol, you're still gonna be rusty. Stay here," she ordered them again, "If we need you, we'll let you know."

She turned on her heel and Joey followed behind. They watched them go sending up a silent prayer that all would go as planned and they could all go home in one piece.

Joey waited for a silent count of ten before following Heather into the cave. The entrance was almost vertical, and Joey free-fell for a moment before landing softly on the stone ground. Heather grabbed Joey's arm pulling him into a crevice and out of sight of anyone who might happen by. As Joey's eyes adjusted to the dim light, Heather pulled out her handgun to load it. Joey followed suit. They didn't speak as Heather led the way down the passage into the compound proper.

They turned a corner and the main chamber came into view. Joey's mouth fell open. The main chamber was gargantuan. Within it was a full-sized swimming pool, track, and what appeared to be a coliseum. There were many other buildings scattered around with people milling around going here and there, carrying unidentifiable crates and sacks filled with who knows what.

Heather tugged on Joey's sleeve indicating for him to follow her. She led the way from shadow to shadow until they had reached the back door of one building. They went in and quickly found a very abandoned looking storage closet to duck into.

"Is that a coliseum?" Joey asked in a quiet whisper as Heather checked her gun and prepared a second cartridge, just in case. She nodded.

"What's it for?" Joey asked taking his turn to check his gun.

"They have fights there. When Carla and I were in training, we spent a lot of time watching there. Often, if a spy or enemy was caught, they would fight there and if they won they might get to live, just like the roman coliseums, except that Tommy's agents would fight the spies and if they lost they almost never died. Carla and I never had to fight there, fortunately," Heather paused, listening. She placed her finger to her lips and crept closer to the door listening through the key hole. After a moment she crept back to Joey, her face was steely.

"What?" Joey asked resigned.

"Something's happening. They're all heading to the coliseum. A surprise event apparently. It's probably Carla," Heather explained simply as she planned in her head. Joey didn't speak, he knew that look. After a moment Heather spoke again, "We're going to sneak into this little party and find the best way to crash it." There was a gleam in her eye that Joey found amusing. As she led the way to the coliseum, Joey felt the adrenaline start pumping through his veins.

People were flooding into the coliseum through the many doors as Heather and Joey made their way sneakily forward. Heather found a niche for them to hide in until everyone had entered the coliseum. Once the coast was clear, they made their way up the back stairs to the very top row where no one sat. The crowds below them were still shifting for their seats talking, yelling, and calling to each other like friends who had not seen each other in days, which was likely.

Heather nudged Joey as the people began to settle down, indicating that they should sit too. A moment later a couple kids of about eighteen came through the door and joined them.

"Hey," the boy said with a nod to Joey and Heather.

"You two transfers from another base?" the girl asked. Heather nodded.

"That's cool, I guess," the girl replied, sitting down next to her, "Normally, we're the only two up here. Name's Mellow, by the way." She extended her hand, which Heather shook, "This here's Nate." She jerked her head at the boy, who nodded at the introduction.

"I'm Kate," Heather said, "And this is Kyle." Joey nodded.

"I hope that you two don't intend to enjoy the show," Mellow said nodding down at the still empty coliseum floor.

"Why's that?" Joey asked.

"You can't see a thing for up here. Not just because we're in the top row, but also because Boss Tommy has his special seat right below us. Most of the fighting is done close to his seat."

"So why do you two sit up here?" Heather asked, "Not really interested in the gory glory?"

"Gory glory," Mellow giggled, "I like the sound of that. But no. We haven't really watched one of these in years. Course we only get an important one every couple of years. The other times we're able to sneak out and go riding around the desert."

"So you don't plan on watching this one? It's supposed to be a real event."

"Yeah, well," Mellow said with a flip of her hair, "Who cares about that? Just don't mind us, 'kay?"

"Sure, whatever," Heather said turning away from them with a shrug.

Soon nearly everyone was settled and silence fell, indicating that Tommy had entered the coliseum. He began speaking through the sound system.

"Welcome, one and all to the greatest event we have yet had! Tonight we have a very special guest! One I have been searching for for many years. This counter agent has caused our organization no end of grief, but tonight, at last, this agent's meddling ways will be brought to an end.

"Tonight's event will be a unique one. Such an opportunity has never before presented itself. So tonight, rather than our typical gladiatorial style fights, the odds will be made more to our own side. This counter agent will not be facing only one of our own; instead we shall be providing five of our own agents for the face off. More than that, this counter agent's hands will not be loosed, thought I doubt it will take long for the cuffs to come off.

"On our side we have our top five hand to hand combat specialists, Lee, John, Carlson, Jane, and Lea." Cheers erupted in the stadium, even Mellow and Nate began to pay attention.

"And the counter agent. One of our own turned traitor, the former Demon of Death, the UCSO's Angel of Mercy, Carla Brookey!" Carla was led into the center of the coliseum. She walked with her head high; despite the jostling her guards were giving her.

Heather stood up to get a better view, silently cursing Carla for her stupidity in allowing herself to be caught. The guards left Carla in the center of the field and all looked to Tommy for the go ahead.

"Let the contest begin!" Tommy called and a cry went up in the coliseum, this was going to be a fight for all time.

Carla didn't move as her opponents began to circle around her. One came in to strike and still she didn't move. He stopped short, not sure what Tommy wanted. The point of coliseum fights was the contest, but if she didn't fight back there was no point. Carla knew this. She also knew that by not fighting, it meant choosing death instead.

After several minutes of nothing, Tommy spoke again.

"Carla, you realize that by refusing to fight you are signing your own death certificate." Carla didn't respond, "Fine then. Josiah, come out here and show us all what torture really is."

'So he'd expected this,' Carla thought as the five left and another entered, 'He had his man most skilled in torture waiting in the wings for me to refuse. This is gonna hurt.'

He walked calmly up to her and after a moment, struck. Carla hit the dirt but stood up again in an instant. Her lip was torn and bleeding, but she didn't care. It was all part of the plan. He continued hitting her until suddenly there came a disturbance from Tommy's seat.

Now Heather's voice filled the stadium.

"You really need to get better guards, Tommy," she said clearly into the mic, "Come on Carla we're getting out of here." When she didn't reply, Heather looked at her to see if she'd been hurt to the point of non-reaction.

Carla was turned toward Heather, a look of pure horror on her face.

"Carla?"

"What the devil are you doing here?! You idiot!!! I told you not to come!!! You idiot, no, this isn't right, no, get out of here! Get out of here, NOW!!!"

Joey leapt down and joined Carla on the field. The torture specialist stepped out of the way, this was not his area of expertise.

Carla tried to back away from Joey, but he moved faster and was soon standing behind her picking the locks on the cuffs holding her hands.

"Joey!" Carla hissed, furious, "I told you not to come! You of all people should know better! I do actually have a plan believe it or not!"

"One that involves you and Tommy dying together?" he asked mocking.

"So what?!" Carla spat, "As long as you and Heather get to live, I don't care what happens to me. I am doing this for the two of you! For the future that you could have together! Drattit Joey, this place is going to blow sky-high in a matter of minutes, killing everyone in this entire compound!"

Joey's fingers fumbled on the locks.

"Then why the hell did you get caught!!!" he yelled not bothering to keep his voice down.

"It was the only way I could be sure that Tommy was in the very middle of the explosion. He would stay for me, to see me die, and he would be killed too in the end." By then Joey had gotten the cuffs off.

He turned to Heather and called, "Tommy got her guns but nothing else!"

Heather knew instantly what Joey meant, "How long?"

"Fifteen!" Carla called back.

"It's your lucky day," Heather hissed in Tommy's ear, "Today, you die."

"Joey you need to get her out of here, she won't go willingly," Carla spoke lowly.

"No," he said firmly, "Either we all get out together, or none of us do. The choice is yours." Carla glared at him before nodding.

"Let's go!" Joey shouted to Heather, who ignored him, "Boss!"

"I told you she wouldn't listen," Carla muttered, "Give me a boost, I'll get her going."

Joey nodded. He locked his hands together and threw her. Carla managed to grab the ledge and swing herself up. She reached into Heather's hip pack, pulled out a trank and stabbed Tommy. He was out in a matter of seconds. Heather let him drop. Carla grabbed her arm and dragged her to the ledge. They jumped, joining Joey in the field. They threesome took off, no one bothered to stop them, it would take a while before they would react.

"Exactly how big is this explosion going to be?" Joey asked as they ran.

"This place will be out of commission for a minimum of a year but the townsfolk will just be a little tossed."

"We should probably radio back-up and tell them to back up."

"Back-up? What back-up?"

"Yugi and them."

"WHAT?!"

Joey didn't get a chance to answer. Suddenly the three spies were locked in battle with the enemy.

"Joey head for the exit, first chance you get!" Heather yelled.

"But-!"

"That's an order!" Carla interrupted, "We'll be right behind you, I promise!"

Joey grimaced but followed their directions anyway. He didn't have time to look back, but he could hear the girls' feet pounding behind him. They soon made it to the exit. Joey gave the girls a boost before following them up the short chute.

The first bomb went off as Carla and Heather helped Joey out. Then came an unexpected noise, a helicopter preparing to take off. They looked around trying to identify the creator of the noise. Heather spotted it first. The helicopter was sitting at the top of dune and they could just make out someone climbing inside. Heather's eyes narrowed. It was Tommy.

Heather roared with anger and frustration. She took off toward the dune, ignoring the fact that the dune sat on top of the base that was exploding. Carla was right behind her and Joey a few paces behind her.

Heather leapt aboard just as the chopper began taking off. Carla managed to catch onto the running board, but Joey was a tad too slow. He followed the chopper as fast as he could on foot while radioing back to the others.

"Yug," Joey called through the transceiver, "Keep clear of the oasis but follow me. Tommy's getting away, and Heather and Carla are with him."

"Don't tell me they're in the chopper," Yugi replied shifting gears.

"Yeah, don't lose sight of it, but pick me up first, if you can."

"Will do."

Joey switched off the radio and focused on chasing the chopper which, he noticed, was slowing and going down. Joey stopped running, hearing the jeep coming up behind him. He jumped into the back seat, still not taking his eyes off the slowing chopper. When it was about six feet from the ground he saw a person fall to the ground. The chopper landed not far ahead; and he last sight of what was going on in the cloud of sand that burst up.

"You're dead Tommy!" Heather shouted as the chopper went down. She was ticked. Tommy had managed to throw Carla out of the chopped when they'd hit turbulence and in her state she'd easily lost her balance. Heather went in to kick him; he jumped back and out of the now missing door.

Heather followed him out swinging with all the ferocity of a sandstorm but he continued to dodge. Suddenly Carla appeared behind him, taking out the back of his knees while Heather went for his head. Tommy fell flat on his back. Heather went in for the kill, but at the last moment shifted position and knocked him out instead. Carla came up and cuffed him with Heather's cuffs.

The two of them stood over the man who had ruined their lives so many times.

"Well," Carla said.

"Yeah."

"This is oddly anti-climactic."

"Heh."

"Come on," Carla said leaning down to grab one of Tommy's feet, "Joey's probably worried sick."

"No doubt," Heather replied. Grabbing Tommy's other foot, they began dragging him back the direction they'd come.

"What about the pilot?"

"Ahh, who cares? We'll let the other's get him."

"Hey! There they are," Carla said pointing.

Heather looked up to see the two jeeps coming up. They stopped, waiting. Joey leapt out of the jeep before it had even stopped, as did Kiaba. Yugi wasn't far behind, but he did have sense enough to put the car in park before jumping out.

There was a slightly awkward silence for a moment as the group stared at the girls and their prisoner. Carla broke it.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired and I want to go to bed." No one spoke and she continued, "I have planted bombs galore, allowed myself to be captured by the enemy, beaten by a highly skilled torture expert, learned that when you fall out of a helicopter, no matter how much sand you land on, it's still gonna feel like concrete, and helped to finally capture the man who is singularly responsible for every misery in mine and Heather's lives. I am tired. And I want to go to bed. Can we please go now?"

Joey nodded, "I'll radio Marik and have him send in a team to round-up all the other agents."

Carla turned to Heather, who seemed just a little shell-shocked.

"Heather," Carla said quietly, "You remember me telling you it would be over soon? It's over. You can get on with your life, Heather." Carla paused waiting for a reaction, when none came she tried again, "Heather, K, Demon of Destruction, Angel of Death, it's over. We've fulfilled our promise to them. They can rest in peace, and you can move on."

Heather blinked and looked to Carla, "You're right, I know you're right. Let's go."

Carla smiled and grabbed her arm, "The unlikely friends have captured the bad guy and now all we need to do is find out who we are. So let's go focus on that now, okay?"

"Yeah."

Joey turned back to them. "Marik's sending out choppers to pick us up and other to take care of them," he nodded in the general direction of the crater that once was an oasis. "We might as well sit down and wait."

They did sit and truly it didn't take long for nearly twenty huge helicopters to arrive. One landed near the jeeps, and Mekiahl jumped out.

"Are you all okay?" he asked coming up to them.

"Yeah, we're fine," Heather replied, "Just take us back to headquarters so I can chew her out," she jabbed her thumb at Carla who glared in return, but the tiredness on her face completely destroyed any fear it might have caused.

"Let's go," Heather said standing.

"Load the jeeps in the back, there's no point in leaving them here," Mekiahl said turning back to the helicopter just as the back opened up. Yugi and Joey hopped into the jeeps and drove them carefully forward. Everyone else followed more slowly.

Carla followed near the rear of the group, but despite her best efforts she soon fell down.

"Carla?!" Seto asked slightly alarmed, he'd been right behind her and tried to catch her. The group turned.

"I'm okay," she said breathlessly, "I just stood up too fast." She stood again, but didn't take even one step before she swayed. This time Seto managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Carla?!" It was Heather's voice this time.

"I'm all right," Carla managed to get out, "Someone just needs to give me a hand as I walk."

Seto ignored this and instead picked her up.

"Whaa! Put me down!"

"No," Seto replied as he carried her into the helicopter.

"I said put me down!"

"And I said no."

"I can walk!"

"You'd just fall down again."

"So?!"

"So no."

"You are the single most annoying, cocky, egotistical man I have ever known! Now put me down!"

Seto bent down, placing her in one of the many seats and buckling her in.

"Stop that! I don't need you to take care of me! I can take care of myself!"

"Just like you took care of yourself today?" Seto asked anger creeping into his voice.

"Hey! I had a plan!"

"Like getting yourself killed?"

"So?"

"What do you mean so?" he was definitely angry now.

"I mean so. As long as the bad guy was stopped, who cares? As long as I won-"

"Since when does getting killed count as winning?!"

"When the other person dies too! I don't care! I don't care! Call me suicidal, I don't care! All I wanted was for Heather to be happy! If Tommy was gone she could be happy!"

"Carla," Heather's voice interrupted her tirade.

"What?"

"Shut up and go to sleep." Silence fell over the aircraft. It took a mere ten minutes to reach Headquarters. Carla was too sleepy and out of it to complain when Seto picked her up this time. They were met on the roof by all three Ishtar's and the half of the gang that had stayed behind.

Marik took one look at Carla, in Seto's arms, and told him, "Put her to bed, we'll have a doctor look at her in the morning. The rest of you meet me in the de-briefing rooms in ten minutes." With that he turned and left. Odion and Ishizu stayed behind with the others. Heather led the way to her and Carla's shared room.

Seto placed Carla on the bed and turned to leave, but Heather, with a mischievous smile, shut and locked the door from the outside.

The gang stared at her in surprise.

"Why did you just lock Kiaba and Carla in there?"

"Because I felt like it," she replied, "Consider it punishment. For her stupid plan."

"And why exactly are you 'punishing' Kiaba too?"

"Because he is the only person who has managed to make Carla angry in nearly ten years." They continued to stare. "Come on, let's go get de-briefed." And she led the way downstairs.

Seto stepped up to the door and tried the knob. It didn't budge. He looked around, hoping to spot where Carla might keep her key. No luck.

'I could wake her up,' he thought, 'But she could really use the rest.'

Seto pulled out a chair and settled himself down to wait. After a while Carla began to mumble. Seto cocked his head, trying to catch the words. She shifted in her sleep and continued to mumble.

"Haysus," Carla said almost too clearly, "Haysus…"

'Who's Haysus?' Seto wondered but he didn't have time to dwell on it because just then Carla screamed. Seto leapt to his feet, not quite sure what to do. Carla sat up, her scream dying into gasps.

"Carla?" Seto asked softly. Her head jerked towards him. "What's wrong?" he asked guessing that it must have been a nightmare.

Carla shook her head and wiped the tears away, "Nothing," she replied, her voice cracking, "Just a bad dream. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Heather locked me in," he replied sitting back down.

"Why?"

"I think I heard her say it was punishment for your stupid plan. Something about me being the only person in ten years to be able to make you mad."

"Oh," Carla sighed and reached into her pocket. Pulling out a key, she tossed it to him, "That's the key; you can leave it on the desk."

Seto nodded and went to the door. He inserted the key in the lock and turned, but nothing happened. He pulled it out, turned it around and tried again. Still the door would not open.

"It's not working," he said turning back to Carla. Carla got off her bed and came over.

Looking closely at the key, she said, "Oops."

"Oops?"

"That's the key to my lab. I must have forgotten my other key in there. Guess you're stuck for the moment. Sorry."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "Can't you pick the lock?"

"With what tools? These are specially designed locks. I can get them undone, but it requires the tools that I normally take with me everywhere, but I don't have them right now because when I let Tommy's agents catch me, they took them."

"Which reminds me," Seto said a hard edge entering his voice, "Why exactly did you let yourself be caught?"

"It was the only way to be sure that Tommy would be at the heart of the explosion. He'd stay to watch me die. He's cocky like that. He hoped that I would change my mind and return to him. Oops."

"Return?"

Carla turned and sat back down on her bed. "This could take a while," she said indicating the empty chair. Seto sat down and Carla explained.

"Heather and I were raised by Tommy along with many other children. Most of the others were children of his agents, but some were like us. Orphans. We found out just before we left Tommy that those of us who were orphans, were orphans because he had our parents killed. He set up a lot of those killings where all the adults and children over eight were killed and all the rest went missing. He would choose places with lots of kids. Vaccination clinics and places like that all over the world. He took the kids and raised them, taught them to fight or to run certain 'programs' of his. They made perfect agents. Plus, no one would suspect a kid of killing someone. Heather and I were the best. We came to be good friends working together like we did. We complimented each other. Tommy chose us to be his successors. We were the Demons of Death and Destruction. Ironically, I was Death, she was Destruction which actually fit us pretty well then. I shot and she made the mess." Carla stopped, lost in memory.

"What changed?" Seto asked.

"Heather was badly wounded. It scared me. I'd never had to think that she could die before. I had to reevaluate. I decided it wasn't worth it. We talked it over and decided to quit. We didn't really want to do what Tommy asked, we just did. That's when the place we were staying in got raided. Heather couldn't be moved and I refused to leave her. We were taken into UCSO headquarters to be interrogated. We told them everything that we knew. And I mean everything. I think it scared our first interrogator. Eventually they sent the headman down to speak with us. He was Marik's predecessor. He listened to what we had to say and made us an offer. He asked if we wanted to work against Tommy. He said that the UCSO could really use our kind of talent and our knowledge. He even offered to help us find out who we are. We agreed and have been working for the UCSO ever since."

They fell silent. Finally Seto spoke, "You might as well go back to sleep. They're not sending a doctor for you until tomorrow morning and I'm beginning to doubt that Heather has any intention of letting me out before then."

"You're probably right. Besides, it's late, we might as well get some sleep. You can use Heather's bed. The bathroom's through that door there," she said pointing. He nodded and stood. By the time Seto left the bathroom, Carla was curled up under the blankets. Seto turned out the lights and lay down on the other bed. It wasn't long before he was asleep.

"Where's Kiaba?" Marik asked Heather after he had de-briefed everyone.

"I locked him in with Carla to keep an eye on her," Heather replied blandly, "I figured you could de-brief them together and then just send him away to chew Carla out."

"Okay. Kiaba's a perfectionist, he'll remember every detail so no need to worry about getting the story from him fresh. Should I send food up to them?"

"Nah," Heather replied with a yawn, "We keep a stash of food in the bedside table anyway."

"Why?"

"I get hungry in the night and I'm too lazy to walk down to the cafeteria."

"Right. Then good night, and I'll see you all tomorrow."

The gang split up, each heading to their own rooms.

"Where are you going to sleep?" Joey asked Heather as they made their way up the stairs.

"I want to talk to you," Heather said, ignoring his question.

"All right," Joey said pausing.

"Alone."

"We'll go to my room then."

They walked in silence until they reached the room. Joey locked the door behind them.

"That thing you asked me about the other day," Heather began.

"Yeah."

"You said you'd ask me again when everything was over. Once we had captured Tommy."

"Yeah."

"Were you lying about that?"

"No. I still want to marry you."

"So?"

"Will you please marry me?" Joey asked pulling out the ring box.

"Yeah, I think I will."

"Good," Joey replied and wrapping his arms around her, pulled her into a gentle kiss.

"Haysus!" Carla screamed and sat bolt upright in bed, "Haysus!" she cried again, "Haysus!"

"Carla?!" Seto's alarmed voice reached her in the dark, "What's wrong?"

She didn't reply. Seto flicked the lights on to find Carla hugging her knees and sobbing.

"Carla, what's wrong?" Seto asked again.

"Haysus," she muttered between sobs.

"Who's Haysus?"

"He w-was my f-fiancé."

"Your fiancé," Seto repeated stunned.

"T-Tommy had him k-killed the night before the w-wedding. Him and Masiya b-both. W-we c-couldn't s-save th-them," she managed to choke out before the tears made talking all but impossible.

Seto wrapped his arms around her like he had done for Mokuba when he was little. He rocked her lightly and hummed a tune that his mother had sung to him when he was small. The tears subsided slowly and eventually she was asleep. He laid her down, tucked her in, and settled down to wait for morning.

**Yazani: **Well…

**Yugi:** Well what?

**Yazani:** To be honest I cannot really think of anything to say about this chapter. It's a bit embarrassing, you know?

**Marik:** Yeah, we figured when you turned bright red as you were reading.

**Yazani:** _(blushes and looks down)_

**Yugi:** Don't worry about it.

**Yazani:** Shall I get on with the next chapter, it should be better than the last.

**Everyone: **_(nods)_

**Seto:** The last chapter was perfectly fine.

**Yani:** Am I ever going to come into the story?

**Yazani:** Yeah, I'm working on that.

**Atem:** You're working on it?

**Yazani:** _(grimaces)_ The fact of the matter is that this is only the first book. The second isn't done yet and that's where everything with the items comes into play.

**Everyone: **_(stare open mouthed)_

**Yazani:** I'm going to get back to the reading now.


	12. The New Demons of Death and Destruction

**Chapter 11: **The New Demons of Death and Destruction

The next morning found everyone gathered at the table in the cafeteria that the gang seemed to have claimed. The cafeteria was practically empty and Marik explained.

"With Tommy in prison, many of his agent's started talking. I've got just about everyone following up those leads and taking out every operation of his that we know of. People will be flowing in here soon with those who claim to have any kind of new or important information, so don't get too used to the peace and quiet, it won't last long."

"Whatever you say," Heather said, "Oh and by the way, I'm giving you my two weeks notice. I quit."

"What?!" the gang cried more surprised than Marik.

"Why?" he asked much more calmly.

"Conflict with a certain rule."

"Which one?" he asked only slightly curious. He already knew that Heather had issues with rules in general.

"The one I wrote."

Marik, who had just taken a sip of his coffee, spit it out. "What?!"

"You heard me," she said taking a bite of her omelet.

"You…but…since when?!" he spluttered.

"Last night," she told him calmly, "Oh and Joey's quitting too, for the same reason."

Marik looked quickly between the two of them, "Dear Ra." He turned to Carla, "You knew," he said accusingly, "Why didn't you warn me?"

"There's no fun in it if I warn you," she said innocently. He glared at her and she let out a sigh, "Relax Marik, you're not losing all of your top agents. I'll still be here."

This time it was Heather's turn to look surprised, "What?" she asked, "You're not leaving? I thought you'd want to come to Domino with us. It was your idea to make friends with all of them anyway and now you're just leaving them?"

"I'll still come visit, just like you and I used to do. I like having you all as friends," she said, turning toward the gang, "But my place is here. It's where I'm needed. Especially with Heather leaving."

"Who exactly are you trying to convince?" Seto asked.

Carla cocked her head, "Huh?"

"You talk like you're trying to convince someone that you need to stay here, but none of us brought up any objection."

"You're right," she said after a moment, "I guess, I'm just kind of off today. Maybe I am trying to convince someone; maybe I'm trying to convince myself. But it doesn't really matter, does it. It's all over. And we have to part ways. Life can't go on forever as it is. Eventually everyone needs to find their own path, their own place. Maybe mine's here, maybe it's not. Guess I'll find out soon enough. I'm rambling aren't I? Great."

"Are you okay?" Heather asked, concerned.

"Bad dreams, that's all it is, bad dreams."

"Yeah," Heather replied, understanding instantly.

"I miss them. I-" she stopped. Carla stood and walked away without another word. Heather watched her go, a little worried.

"Is she okay?" Tea asked, "She sounded a little…"

"Depressed," Yugi finished for her.

"Why are you asking me? I don't know what's going on in her head." Heather replied going back to her omelet.

"But you know her," Yugi protested.

"She's changed a lot, since the accident."

"What accident?" Ryo asked in frustration, "That's not the first time it's been mentioned, but no one's ever bothered to explain."

Seto's eyes narrowed in realization, "The accident is what happened to Masiya and Haysus, isn't it?"

Heather froze, glaring at Seto. Everyone else stared in surprise.

"How do you know?" Heather asked, her voice harsh.

"Carla told me last night. She was having nightmares about it. Kept waking up screaming."

"Not really surprised. She used to wake up screaming every night. I used to too, as a matter of fact. Who wouldn't?"

"What are you two talking about?" Duke asked impatiently.

"Carla and Haysus were engaged. I was engaged to Masiya. We were supposed to get married the next day, but Tommy had them killed to punish us for leaving him. We were supposed to be Tommy's successors, but we decided it wasn't worth it to work for him and came to work for the UCSO instead. There, so now you know. I figure you might as well know, since Joey and I are going to be living in Domino."

"We are?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, I figured you'd want to be near your sister and friends, provided, of course, that they don't hate your guts and want you dead for leaving them like you did."

"Hey, you make it sound like it was my fault that I hadn't seen them in ten years."

"Isn't is?"

"No, it's your fault. You're the one who never left me alone long enough to go see them."

"You're a bright boy, you could have found a way."

"Perhaps someone should go check on Carla," Marik suggested to the table at large.

"Send lover-boy over there," Heather replied jerking her head across the table.

"Who?"

"Kiaba, who else?" The table fell silent, except for Heather who continued to eat.

"Don't mind her," Carla said returning to the table, "She's just teasing. She used to do it all the time, but she changed."

"So did you."

"I know," Carla sat back down in her chair, "Sorry, I wasn't quite awake earlier. I am now."

"Did you know?" Heather began in a conspiratorial tone, "That Carla used to be even colder and more serious than Kiaba?"

"Is that even possible?" Duke asked doubtfully.

"Hea-ther!"

"Well it's true!"

"And you used to be as fun-loving as a five year old on chocolate!"

"What's your point?"

"We've changed, we'll never go back to that so there's no point in bringing it up!"

"But watching their reactions is so much fun," Heather said innocently.

"I'm going to ignore you."

"Okay."

"Excuse me sir," a voice said from behind Marik. It was Romney, a former field agent and now keeper of the archives, "Some of Tommy's agents were just brought in and I was told to come get you. There's a pair with an…unsettling story."

"We can take care of it," Heather said standing, "Joey, you stay here, we won't be long."

"Right."

"I don't think that would be a very good idea."

"Why?" Marik asked surprised. Heather and Carla were the best interrogators and they knew all the facts, everyone agreed.

"Well, the two claim to be the Demons of Death and Destruction," the messenger replied.

"They WHAT?!"

"We've been REPLACED?!" Carla and Heather took off without listening to the rest of what was said.

"You're worried because of that?" Marik asked.

"Well, there's more. When they came in, they gave their names as Masiya and Haysus, but the archives say Masiya and Haysus died."

"CRAP!!!" Joey bolted from his seat Marik and Kiaba were next followed by Yugi, Ishizu, Odion and the rest of the gang. When they arrived in the interrogation hall, they found Heather banging on the door and screaming.

"Heather?" Joey asked coming up behind her, "What happened?"

"It's him. It's Masiya. He's not…He's not…dead."

"Where's Carla?"

"She's still in there. She WON'T LET ME IN!" Heather hit the door to emphasize each word.

Carla's voice came through the door.

"Shut up! You've lost your edge! I'll do the interrogating! Besides, YOU'RE ENGAGED!"

Heather froze and looked to Joey, her face guilty, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Come on, let's sit down and wait. There's nothing else to do."

Heather nodded and sat down where she was in front of the door.

"I don't understand what's going on here," Carla said calmly to the two seated at the table, "Explain. Now. Before I lose my composure."

"Tommy contacted us the day before the wedding. He told us that if we didn't go to work for him, he'd kill the two of you. We didn't think we could take care of you like that. We thought that it would be best for you if things ended, but we couldn't just say, the day before the wedding, that it was all off. Tommy fabricated our death for us. We though t it would be best. Then you could move on."

"I see."

"We knew you were agents and we knew you were good, but we didn't think you were that good. We were trying to protect you."

"I understand. But why didn't you come back after you found out how good we were?"

"We couldn't. We're not escape experts, every attempt we made failed. But Tommy's gone now, and we're back-"

"No," Carla interrupted, "Heather's engaged now. She's happy. Don't you dare hurt her again."

"What about you?"

"I'm debating whether to be relieved or to kill you myself."

The men didn't respond.

"What exactly did you do for Tommy?"

"A little interrogation, but mostly we were a decorative threat."

"So you never technically broke the law, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll see what I can do to have any charges against you dropped. You'll have to testify against Tommy and his agents. Anything and everything you knew about for sure, rumors don't count."

"All right."

"I'll send in another agent to take care of that. In the meantime, I'm going to take off the cuffs. You are not to leave this room. I'll send someone with food for you." Carla took the master key out of her pocket and undid the cuffs on Masiya.

"Carla," Haysus said when she came to him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"I know. I am too." She unlocked the first cuff.

"I still love you." She stopped.

"No, you love who I was, who you thought I was. I'm not the same person anymore." She unlocked the second and placed both pairs of cuffs on the table along with the key. She turned to leave, but Haysus placed his hands on her shoulders to stop her. She shook them off.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"What's WRONG?!" Carla bellowed spinning around to face her former fiancé, "You die on me, show up here and have the audacity to ask me what's wrong?!"

"Well, what is wrong?"

"What's wrong is that you died! DIED! You left! And now you're back! Heather's engaged again and now you're here and it's throwing all my plans into deep space! It can't be like it was! There's no way! We've changed! You've thrown my plans into deep space! DEEP SPACE!!!"

Haysus grabbed her and pulled her into a strong embrace.

"I'm sorry that I've ruined your plans. Please, give me a chance to know you again," he whispered into her hair. She remained tense for a moment before relaxing.

"Fine," she said quietly, stepping out of the embrace, "Stay here. Another agent will come to get your statements and bring you some food. Do not leave the room." She turned and left.

The gang was waiting to ambush her outside. Before Heather could ask anything, Carla spoke.

"Do what you want," she said in a hard voice. The gang watched as she then all but stormed down the hall, as she turned into an office they heard her shout for Johnson.

"Great," Heather muttered, "The old Carla's back." The gang looked at her in surprise.

"What do you mean by that?" Mokuba asked.

"I mean that Carla wasn't always the happy-go-lucky person you all know her as. She used to be angry and way too serious for her own good. Haysus started to change that, but…" she stopped and looked at the door debating.

"Go in," Joey said gently. She looked at him, nodded, and entered the now unlocked room.

"Masiya," she said, half question, half statement.

"Yeah," Masiya replied, searching her face. Neither spoke for a moment. "You're engaged, congratulations." His lack of enthusiasm was obvious.

"Yeah, his name is Joey Wheeler, and he's a bit like you. Stubborn, annoying. But he's also a loving older brother."

"Yeah."

"Look-"

"No. I'm sorry I hurt you and I doubt that I'll ever be able to stop loving you, but you need to choose for yourself. I won't stop you. And you need to not let Carla choose for you either."

"Carla?! What does she have to do with this?"

"Did you not hear her screaming about all her plans being thrown into deep space?"

"Oh, that's what it was about."

"Yeah."

"Oh-well, it's just Carla. She does what she wants and so do I. Look, I don't think that I can really handle being around you right now."

"I won't follow," Masiya interrupted.

"I'll call you, someday, I promise."

"'Kay."

"Um, I'd better go."

"Right."

"Bye."

"Bye." Under his breath he added, "I love you." Heather didn't hear though, she had already left the room. She stopped outside the door.

"You all waited?" she asked confused.

"You were in there for less than three minutes," Joey told her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Oh, right. Well, let's go find Carla, shall we?"

"Sure." Joey turned to head in the direction Carla had gone, but Heather paused.

"Wait, where's Kiaba?"

"Uh…"

He had vanished.

"Rich Boy's probably gone to do some work. He's been away from his office for a nearly a week, after all. He's probably going through withdrawal." Somehow Joey managed to say all this with a straight face. Everyone stared.

"What?" Joey asked, "It's possible." Heather giggled and then began to laugh.

"And that," she said, "Is why I love you." The gang stared even more. Even Joey was surprised by her casual use of the phrase 'I love you.' In an instant he had pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. After a moment, she pushed him away.

"I think you're scaring you friends," she told him, nodding at the gang, whose mouths had dropped clear to the other side of the world.

Joey felt his face grow hot, which only made Heather laugh. Joey was saved further embarrassment though. At that moment the gang heard Carla scream, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" Heather took off, following the sound and the gang quickly followed.

The voice was coming from the shooting gallery. They entered to find Carla reloading and Kiaba standing just behind her, out of the way, or so he thought.

"Last night you said-" Kiaba was saying, but Carla cut him off.

"I know what I said! I was wrong, okay?!"

"Look-"

"No." She finished re-loading.

"Carla-"

"No!" She took aim.

"Dammit, you! Listen to me!"

"SHUT UP!!!" She fired, emptying the entire cartridge in the time it took to say those two words. She spun to face him, the gun still in her hand. She looked like she was about to say something else, but as she opened her mouth, she caught sight of the gang standing just inside the door. Instead she threw the gun down, and took off in the general direction of her lab. Kiaba lifted an arm to stop her, but, thinking better of it, let his arm drop back down by his side.

He picked up the gun and began cleaning it, to put it away, as the gang, led once again by Heather, came over to him.

"What was that about?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"Nothing. She only let me get out, maybe twenty words."

"You can say a lot in twenty words, you can say a lot in three words, in two, in one."

He glared at her attempt to be funny.

"Well it's true," she said with a shrug. Kiaba returned the gun to the rack as Heather hit the button to call the target in.

"How many shots are in one of those cartridges?" Mokuba asked.

"Twelve."

"She only hit the paper twice in twelve shots?" he questioned, noting the two holes in the seemingly blank target.

"Nope," Heather said, "All twelve shots hit. Six in each hole and all in less than two seconds."

"How'd she manage that with nothing on the paper?"

"She's good, the best even, although I enjoy it more. Besides, her shots are to kill, mine are for the fun of it."

"What do you mean 'her's are to kill?'"

"I'll show ya," Heather said, pulling out the sheet. She walked to the back and grabbed a spray bottle off the shelf. She squeezed the trigger sending a fine mist to cover the sheet. As the water was absorbed, lines became visible. The gang stared in shock. One of the two holes was in the dead center of the box indicating the location of the heart, the other, the dead center of the forehead.

"So basically," Joey said teasingly, "She could kick your butt."

"Shut up you!" Heather snapped back, "If she ever came at me seriously, I'd be dead, but she never does, she swore she never would. She made that promise when we left Tommy's organization. Besides," Heather smiled wickedly, "I'd last a lot longer than you would against her."

"No denying it," Joey replied taking the paper and putting it on the shelf, "Come on. Let's leave her alone for a while. She'll come to us when she's ready."

"How do you know?" Heather asked as the gang left to go outside and talk.

"Believe it or not, I know her pretty well. Whenever you left, I would help Carla in her lab. She talked a lot then and she listened even better." They went to sit on the bleachers like a bunch of high school students on their lunch break.

"So what all did you talk about?" Heather asked, highly curious. Carla had only ever confided in her.

"Mostly about you, and all you in Domino. She asked me a lot of questions about you all," he addressed Yugi and the others, "She wanted to know about all the stuff we did in school, about our vacations, about just about everything. I think she just really wanted to know what it was like to be normal."

"Hmm," Heather sighed, "That doesn't sound like her. She never talked to me about wanting to be normal."

"There was no point," Mokuba interrupted. They all turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Heather asked.

"There's no point in wishing to be normal when you aren't. Wishing wouldn't change anything. The only thing it could do was depress you."

"Mokuba," Rebecca said concerned.

"That's what Brother told me anyway," he smiled, a laugh audible in his voice, "He told me that back before Gozoboro died. It seemed to really matter to him."

"Speaking of whom," Heather interrupted, "Where did he go this time?"

"He said he was going to go see Marik about us all going home," Mokuba said.

"Oh."

Silence fell over the group.

"I'll arrange for all of you to be taken to the airport tomorrow," Marik told Seto as he looked out the window at the rest of the gang, who sat talking comfortably on the bleachers by the track.

Seto nodded, "I assume it will be safe to call my staff and let them know that I will be returning to work at that time."

"Of course," Marik said formally.

"Then you must excuse me." He turned to leave without waiting for a reply. He had just opened the door when Carla came flying into the room.

"Marik!" There was something off in her voice that made Seto pause. "I've been going over the information that's been gathered since yesterday and something's wrong."

"What?" Marik turned to face her.

"I'm not entirely sure what, but something doesn't fit. The highest people in Tommy's organization are behaving oddly. Those few we've brought in are completely calm. They're not reacting even the littlest bit when told that Tommy has been apprehended."

"So? They probably don't believe it."

"No, it's something more. I'm sure of it."

"What could it be?" Marik asked, humoring her.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," and with that she turned and left the office.

"Wait!" Marik called, "At least tell me where you're going!" But he received no response. He let out a tired huff of air and sat down. He looked to Seto who stood unmoving, holding the door open.

"Excuse me," he said, "It would seem I have more work to do."

Seto left immediately. He made his way downstairs and out back where the others sat.

"I'm returning to Domino tomorrow," he told them calmly, "You can come with me then or else find your own way back." He didn't wait for a response and instead returned to the room he had been assigned. He opened his computer and adjusted his schedule to include his return. Rearranging appointments and inspections, he soon lost track of time.

The gang was at their usual table for dinner when Carla came running up. She looked more than a little worried. She spoke rapidly to Heather in a language that the others did not recognize. She was gesturing wildly and nearly caught Joey's head several times.

Heather interrupted her at last. "You go tell Marik. I'll be up in a minute."

Carla nodded and took off.

"What was that about?" Mokuba asked.

"Just some loose ends that have got Carla worried," Heather replied calmly, "Joey, I want you to go to Domino with them. Don't argue," she told him as his mouth opened in obvious protest, "I'm ordering you to guard them to their homes and make sure that no one has been in there and planted bugs or whatever, got it?"

Joey nodded.

"Good," she stood, "I'm going to go find out what Marik is thinking."

She kissed his cheek and waved to the others before leaving the cafeteria. She made her way swiftly up to Marik's office and found Carla already explaining her suspicions to Marik. Heather and Marik both waited patiently for her to finish before speaking. Marik spoke first.

"Carla," he said patiently, "I think that you're overreacting." He held up a hand as she opened her mouth to argue, "I heard what you said and can see why you would be worried, but it's still early. The stuff you say should be happening will probably become apparent in the next couple of days. Give it a little time. If, at the end of the week, nothing has changed, I'll look into it more, but right now we have all available agents working on bringing in Tommy's underlings, all right?"

Carla nodded reluctantly.

"While I'm here," Heather said, addressing Marik, "I'm sending Joey back with his friends to make sure that they aren't followed and then he'll probably be back."

"Fine," Marik said returning to his computer.

"Carla and I are going to see them off and then we're taking the rest of the day off," she told him.

"Take two days off," he replied still typing.

"Okay. See ya." She grabbed Carla's arm and dragged her out of the office.

"Why are we taking two days off?" Carla asked impatiently.

"You have to help me pick out my wedding dress," Heather replied.

"Oh," Carla sighed. Had it been any other day, she would have been more excited, but she was still confused. Something was wrong. Heather stopped and turned to face her. Carla blinked as though just noticing her.

"What's wrong with you?! I'm getting married! This is what you wanted, isn't it?!" she asked exasperated.

Carla sighed, "I want you to be happy. If Joey makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. I'm just worried about this…" she trailed off, shook her head and smiled, "All right, let's get to bed. We'll see the others off in the morning and then we'll go find you a dress."

"Good." Heather turned and led the way back to their room.

The next day was filled with short good byes and see you soons. All three of the Ishtars managed to make an appearance before the group left for the airport. Seto's private plane was waiting for them. They didn't waste time with goodbyes there although Carla did manage to convince Heather to wait until the plane had taken off to leave.

On the plane, Joey sat with his sister and friends, glad to be back, but something nagged at the back of his mind. He pushed it away and forced himself into the present.

"I have a question for you Joey," Rebecca said catching his attention, "What were you really doing in Albania?"

He smiled a little and turned a bit red, "I was making a fool of myself, to be honest." He scratched the back of his head and looked sheepish. "I was running late to a meeting with another agent, Cooper, formerly of bomb squad. He was getting a transfer to India and I was supposed to be his escort and I ended up missing him until the plane out of Albania was taking off. Fell flat on my face trying to get into my seat next to him. It was the single worst assignment I have ever been given." He laughed and the others joined in imagining him on his face in the plane's aisle.

"Should you really be telling us this?" Tea asked.

"I really doubt that any of you are enemy agents, except maybe Kiaba." Seto glared over his laptop, without a break in his typing, "Then again, I can't see him being used by anyone."

"Used?"

"Yeah, that's really all spy work is. You're used to get information, technology, people, doesn't matter what. Once you're recruited, you're stuck for life. Although the UCSO is better about that than other agencies. The UCSO leaves their agents a choice. When you retire from the UCSO, you're not permanently wiped from their files or whatever. You're file just gets relocated to an inactive cabinet. If they need you they'll invite you and you can always contact them." Joey looked out the window.

"What are you going to do now that you've retired from spy work?" Serenity asked.

"First I'm going to help Heather find her real name, then I'm going to marry her. Then I was thinking I'd join the local police force."

"I can't believe you seriously want to marry that psychopath," Tristan said jokingly.

"Watch it," Joey warned him, "If she heard you say that you'd be in trouble."

They all laughed. The rest of the flight passed with more questions for Joey and then Joey's questions. By the end of the flight it was almost as if he had never been away. When they reached Domino, Seto took them all home. Joey checked that the house was safe, as ordered, before the owners entered. Yugi was dropped off last and Joey spent a little more time there, saying hello to the old man.

"Do you want to stay here with me and Tea?" Yugi offered once the house was cleared.

"Nah," Joey shook his head, "You guys were stuck with me for a week already. I'll go to the UCSO place in town. I couldn't stay there before because I wasn't supposed to be in town. Besides, I have to check Kiaba's. Doubt that anything's out of place there, but we wouldn't want anything to happen to Mokuba. Besides, Heather would kill me if I didn't do everything she told me to. I'll call you tomorrow," he said turning back to the limousine and climbing in.

"Sorry 'bout this," Joey said to Mokuba and Rebecca and ignoring Seto.

"Are you sure that you don't want us to drop you off somewhere afterwards?" Mokuba asked.

"No thanks," he shook his head, "I'll walk. I'm still not one for being stuck on planes for hours, no matter how luxurious. The walk will let me clear my head."

"Okay." They arrived at Kiaba mansion and Joey checked the house and grounds. He told Mokuba and Rebecca he'd see them later, Seto had already locked himself in his home office.

Joey walked down the streets of his hometown. He reached the street he used to live on with his dad and paused outside his old apartment building. He knew that he shouldn't do it, but he went up. He paused at the door two away from his own. Ryo had used to live there. He wondered when he had moved and glanced at the name plate to see who owned it now. He stared at it confused. The plate still said "Bakura."

He finally looked away when he heard someone come up the stairs. He turned and saw a tall man. He had once been handsome, but alcohol had changed that. His face was red and his eyes blood-shot. He staggered on the way up the stairs. His blond hair was long and clearly hadn't been combed in days if not years. He huffed as he clambered up the stairs. When he reached the top, he stopped to catch his breath. He looked up and noticed Joey for the first time. Recognition flashed across his face followed by pure fury.

"Dad," Joey muttered. Joey's dad stumbled up to him. His fist missed Joey's face by more than a foot. He aimed again and got a little closer. Joey moved back, his father followed, swinging and missing. They reached the Wheeler's apartment door and Joey's dad collapsed, dead drunk. Joey opened the door and dragged the man into the living room. The place was a mess. Empty beer cans covered every surface; a few to go bags from a McDonalds a few blocks away were mixed in with the mess. Joey cleared the recliner and heaved his father into the chair.

Joey looked at the man who had always been blaming him for something. He sighed and got to work cleaning the place up. He turned the coffee maker on once the kitchen was cleared. The bathroom came next, followed by the small bedroom his father rarely used. He went to what had been his own room and was surprised to find it in pristine condition, except for the dust. He began to clear the dust away and realized what he should have noticed immediately. The door had been opened, many times, almost on a regular basis and yet his room hadn't been touched. Did the old man think he'd come back if he left the room alone? Joey sighed.

He turned the coffee pot to low, to keep the liquid warm, but not boil it dry and left.

He closed the door and saw Ryo. He had dropped his keys.

"Oh man, you scared me, Joey," he said looking relieve, "Thought you were your old man."

"He give you trouble when I left?" Joey asked scooping up the keys and handing them to his friend.

"Yeah, still does whenever he sees me. Screams about how I stole you and it's my fault, me and my friends. Filled your head with foolish ideas, blah, blah, blah."

"Why don't you just set Bakura on him?"

"Are you crazy?! Bakura would have killed him! Besides, I kinda felt that I deserved it. That somehow, it was my fault you were gone."

Joey cringed, "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it."

"But seriously, next time he tries it, let Bakura at him. Might bring him to his senses." Joey's mind flashed back to his undisturbed room.

Ryo laughed, "We'll see."

"So you have two apartments now?" Joey asked as Ryo unlocked the door.

"Sort of. The other one is for Bakura, he can make a mess there and he leaves my place intact."

"Nice."

"Do you want to come in for a while?"

"I'd better get to the UCSO place," he replied, "Another time, I promise."

"All right, see you." Ryo closed the door and Joey left.

It didn't take long for him to get to the place he was meant to stay when he was on assignment here. They had been expecting him. A room was already prepared and he had instructions to stay out of trouble, but that was it.

He spent the next couple of days with his friends. Catching up, having fun, and just being the kids they all still felt they were.

It wasn't until the third day that he received the phone call.

******************************************************************************

**Yazani:** I have a random question.

**Yugi:** O…Kay…

**Yazani:** Is it just me, or do I start all the conversations after each chapter?

**Yugi:** It's your book. You're reading it. None of the rest of us know when the chapters end, so it's not that surprising.

**Yazani:** Good point…So…what shall we discuss this time?

**Seto:** How about Wheeler's inability to do anything right?

**Joey:** _(growls)_ Watch it, Rich Boy.

**Yazani:** _(cocks head)_ But that wasn't brought up in this chapter.

**Everyone, including Seto:** _(stares in shock at Yazani)_

**Yazani:** _(wide-eyed)_ What? Whud I say?

**Mokuba:** You just agreed that Joey can't do anything right.

**Yazani:** _(blandly) _Oh…oops…sorry Joey…_(randomly flinches and hides behind book)_ Please don't kill me!

**Joey:**_ (sweatdropped)_ I'm not gonna kill ya.

**Yazani:** Really?

**Joey: **_(nods)_

**Yazani: **_(jumps up and does a victory dance)_ YAY!!! YA-HOO!!! I'm not gonna die! I'm not gonna die-_(freezes then very seriously)_ yet.

**Everyone:**_ (sweatdropped)_


	13. Desperate Call

**Chapter 12:** Desperate Call.

Joey was sitting at the Mouto's kitchen table with Yugi, Tea, and Seto when his cell phone went off. He glanced at the caller ID thinking that he might be able to ignore it. The number wasn't one he immediately recognized but it seemed familiar. He frowned trying to remember whose number it could be.

"Why not just answer it?" Yugi asked. Joey glanced up.

"Not all the numbers that call this phone are things that I should answer when I'm on vacation," he replied, "I have to know who's calling to know what language to answer in and with what accent. If I use the wrong one they could realize that I'm not who I say I am." The phone stopped ringing and he put it down. "Oh-well. They'll call back later if it's important."

They kept talking but Joey only half listened. He was still trying to figure out why that number was so familiar and whose it was.

"563-4357," he muttered.

"What's that, Joey?" Tea asked.

"That number from a little while ago," he replied, leaning back and letting out a sigh, "It's really familiar and it's ringing all sorts of bells but I can't remember why."

"Could it be Heather?" Yugi asked.

"Not likely all her numbers start with 277 or end with 2727."

"Why?"

"277 is ass, and 2727 is crap. Carla tried to ban the use of the first one, so she tends to go…with the…" he trailed off.

"Joey?"

He ripped out his phone staring at the number is horror.

"Joey?" Tea repeated quietly.

"It's Carla's emergency line. She's never had to use it before. I should have realized."

"How do you know? Wouldn't it be in your caller ID?"

"Not this number. I can't have record of it. If I do, and someone get's my phone, Carla's identity could be compromised. Idiot! 563-4357, Joe-help!" He hit the dial back and set the phone to record the conversation.

The phone rang several times before becoming silent. At first nothing happened then there was a clatter and a grunt of pain. Then Carla's voice rang out.

"Compromised! Not Tommy, his-!" Her words were interrupted by the crack of bone on bone. "K in danger!" Carla yelled, "Slums of-" But her words were suddenly cut short by the sound of a gun going off. After a moment of near silence a distorted voice came on the line.

"Sorry," the voice said, "Wrong number." The line went dead.

Joey sat for what seemed like hours. His shocked mind unable to move his frozen limbs. When he finally did move it was to run to the bathroom and throw up. Tea and Yugi followed him. When he was done being sick, Tea handed him a wet towel to wipe his face.

"What happened?" Yugi asked, hoping that he had heard wrong.

"I'm sure that you heard," Joey replied, dialing Marik's private office extension.

Yugi swallowed and Tea paled. She sat down.

"Marik," Joey said when the other answered, "I just got an emergency call from Carla's unused cell. She said they'd been compromised, but it wasn't Tommy. They're in slums somewhere but she was cut off before she could say exactly where. I recorded the conversation. I'm sending you a copy now. I'm also taking the first flight back to Egypt. I'll need gear and a team ready to find them. Be there in a few hours." He hung up without waiting for a response.

He turned to Yugi, "I going to need to use your computer to book a flight," he said exiting the bathroom.

"Sure," Yugi replied, but he was interrupted.

"Don't bother," Seto said from the kitchen doorway, "You'll get there faster using the KiabaCorp jet."

"But,"

"There's one condition. I'm going with you."

"Why?"

"My jet. And Mokuba would never forgive me if I didn't help."

"Fine," Joey said with a nod, "I might be able to put those resources of yours to some use. Having the search originate from you would help in the area of surprise. Let's go." Seto turned and led the way out to the waiting limo already making the necessary calls to take off as soon as they arrived at the airport.

"Joey," Yugi began.

"No," Joey cut him off, "I need you to stay here. If they escape they would probably try to get here or at least call here. I need you to be here in case that happens. If you need to get a hold of me, you'll have to call Kiaba. My phone may have been compromised so I'm turning if off and throwing it away as soon as I get to Egypt."

Yugi nodded, "All right, but be careful Joey."

"Always am," he replied leaving.

"Yeah right," Yugi muttered, watching two of his best friends leave.

When the limo arrived at the airport, the jet was already fueled and awaiting clearance. Seto and Joey boarded, taking seats on opposite sides of the cabin. Seto turned his phone off long enough for the plane to become airborne before tossing it to Joey.

"Make whatever calls you need to," he said. Joey nodded and made his call to Marik before returning the phone. The flight took place in almost complete silence, both passengers wrapped up in their own thoughts. An unobtrusive dark car with tinted windows was waiting for them at Cairo International Airport. It took them straight to UCSO headquarters, where Odion met them at the door.

He gave Seto a glance, but shrugged his surprise off before leading them to the control room that Marik had set up for the sake of finding his top two agents. A number of agents of were already present and setting up the last bits of the equipment. Marik arrived a moment later with a couple more agents. He walked over to Joey who was taking a mental inventory of the equipment that had been set up.

"I can't spare many agents," Marik whispered to Joey. Joey nodded still looking over the equipment. "But I will let you have Mekiahl and Cooper. Who else do you want?"

"Lee and Roger," Joey replied promptly. This was one of the many things that he had been considering while on the flight over. With those four, Kiaba, and himself, he could do it.

"All right," Marik agreed, "I'll send them right down. You will report directly to me if anything happens. That radio there will connect you with me immediately. Send updates to me through Odion every hour on the hour. Other than that, this is your job. Find them and get them back here alive."

"Yeah," Joey said, sitting at the computer and getting started. Seto had already set to work on the next set of equipment. It didn't take long for the other four to arrive and get to work.

It took about an hour to trace the girls' route from the airport. They had set out for downtown Cairo as soon as saying goodbye. They made stops at several shops. They stayed at a hotel for the night before setting out for more shops the next morning. The routine was the same for the next day, until they suddenly dropped off the radar outside an alley. Joey sent Lee and Cooper to check out the alley.

"We found their phones," Cooper reported when they had finished their preliminary search.

"Photograph and get back here quick as you can," Joey ordered.

"Sir," Cooper replied signing off. Within a half hour they had returned. Lee took the photos to be developed downstairs while Cooper helped to try and locate the signal of Carla's emergency phone.

They found the trace of the phone from the first call it had made to Joey. It had not gotten very far from their last location. It then moved across town to a part of the warehouse district. It was then that Joey had called the phone and recorded the fight between Carla and her captors. The phone then went dead. Joey began making calls, sending Mekiahl and Cooper to question the owner of the warehouse where they had lost the phone's signal.

"The owner's homebound," Mekiahl reported, "He leases the place to whoever is willing to pay. He gets paid on time and never received any complaints so he hasn't asked any questions."

"Document and get back here as quick as you can," Joey instructed. He passed the names over to Seto to check. They discovered almost nothing else for the next few days. They worked around the clock, taking turns sleeping in a room next door. It wasn't until the third day that Marik showed up and ordered Joey and Seto to take a break and get some sleep. Joey glanced at the others, noting that by their behavior all four had reported his insomnia to Marik.

He got up and gestured for Seto to join him. Odion and Marik took over their desks for the few hours that they slept. Marik and Odion were on their way out the door when Roger caught everyone's attention.

"The phone's been turned back on," he reported, "I'm triangulating the location."

Everyone stopped what they had been doing and focused on the big screen. Joey pulled out his old phone and turned it on, just in case. Not long after, it went off. Joey glanced at the caller ID and plugged the phone into the computer. He set the equipment to record and turned the phone on speaker.

"Hello," he said calmly.

"This is UCSO headquarters, correct?" the same distorted voice said, "To whom am I speaking?" The voice asked formally.

"Joseph," Joey replied, "And yourself?"

"Huh," the voice gave a hard laugh, "You may call me Tom."

"What do you want?"

"I want you to witness the death of the traitors known as Death and Mercy," the voice said. The click of a pistol was heard. A gunshot went off and Carla's voice was heard.

"NO! K!" she screamed. Movement came through the line, the pistol cocked. Another shot. Carla's voice screaming in pain. Four more shots in quick succession. Heavy panting.

'Wait,' Joey thought, 'At most the gun holds seven shots, including one in the chamber, just wait for one more.'

"You," Carla's voice came through the phone clear and low, "Are. DEAD!" Movement and the final shot, then silence. The voice spoke again.

"Come collect the cadavers whenever you're ready. I'll even leave the phone." The line went dead, but true to his word, it remained on and stationary.

"Roger, stay here with the monitors, everyone else, with me," he ordered, leading the way to the vehicles waiting for their use. Roger guided them to the location, an abandoned building in the slums.

They entered warily approaching the two bodies in the middle of the floor. They quickly secured the scene. Joey went immediately to Heather's body. One shot to the head. He closed her eyes before turning his attention to Carla. Seto had already turned her over as well.

Six bullet wounds in total were found. One grazed her left leg, just above the knee, the second her right thigh, her left shoulder, right arm, the left side of her neck, and the final fatal bullet had passed through her head, the same as Heather.

Between the two girls was the phone and next to it, a DVD. Joey picked it up slowly. His numb mind not sure what to do. The entire team moved more slowly than usual. The two greatest agents in the history of the UCSO were dead, they had heard it happen. So easy. Who was this new enemy? This Tom? What did he want? And who could possibly beat him?

******************************************************************************

**Mokuba: **_(shocked)_You killed them.

**Yazani:** No I didn't. Tom did it. I swear.

**Mokuba:**_ (still shocked)_ You killed them.

**Yazani:**_ (sighs)_ No I didn't. It was Tom.

**Mokuba:** But-

**Kitsune:** Give it up Moky, she's the author, she always wins.


End file.
